The Dark Children
by imgilmoregirl
Summary: Dark Castle AU: Rumplestiltskin and Belle always knew that their children would live in danger for the rest of their days for being the Dark One's heirs, but after the Black Fairy's death, they thought that things would be easier. They just had no idea of how much they were wrong. (The Dark Lady follow up)
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters and storylines in the show. This is just a fanwork made for fun._**

 _This AU is set 15 years after the ending of The Dark Lady and right after it's epilogue._

* * *

The whole forest that surrounded the Dark Castle was covered with snow. Rose opened the front door, getting in and taking off her pink cloak, already hearing her little siblings playing at the dining hall as usual, their loud childish voices reaching her in the entryway, as she shook the snow from her clothes and hair, ready to make her way upstairs to her chambers when Mrs. Potts appeared at the other end of the hallway with a frown stamped on her face.

"Where were you, child?" She immediately inquired. "Master is looking for you like crazy! I swear to the gods, someday you'll kill one of your parents with those disappearances."

"I didn't disappear, Mrs. Potts, I was at Grace's house!" Rose defended herself, rolling her eyes at the maid's exasperation. "You can ask Jefferson, he saw me there."

And she was telling the truth. Rose had spent the day at Grace's house in the woods, just chatting and having some tea, but in her family, you couldn't just visit a friend without announcing it out loud, for every single living breathing person to hear, or her parents would freak out at some point. Not that she didn't understand them, because she knew very well how much they had already been through in the past, but sometimes, she just wanted things to be easier.

"Alright, go change for the dinner and if you see master Gideon, tell him to come downstairs too." Mrs. Potts instructed.

"Understood."

Walking down the corridor, Rose almost stumbled in Colette when she came running from the dining hall, her dark-brown curls floating free and her blue-eyes shining in contrast with her green-gold skin. The four-year-old girl looked up to see her sister, smiling, a little breathless.

"Rosie, can you braid my hair?" She asked.

"I'm a little late for dinner right now, Lette. Why don't you ask mama?"

"She is on the lab with papa." Colette explained. "They said that they were doing important things and we should stay here, playing."

 _Usual_ , Rose thought, looking around to see if any of their maids were around, but the only one she saw was the butler, Mr. Dove that was pretending to get hurt as the ten-year-old Chip pointed a wooden sword at his direction swinging it in the air, like he was fighting a whole army.

"Call Agathe then, right?" Rose told his little sister, knowing that their youngest maid would be willing to help her.

Colette nodded and she climbed up the stairs, going directly to her room and conjuring a huge bathtub full of hot water, where she stayed for a long time, cleaning herself and enjoying the great sensation of her skin being warmed, but eventually she had to get out of it, dressing herself for the dinner. Once she was ready, Rose left her chambers to find Gideon waiting for her on the hallway with a grin on his lips that indicated that he already knew how much she was in trouble.

"Oh, tell me I'm not the only one that Rumplestiltskin and Belle are going to kill tonight!" She practically begged, because usually Gideon was the great master in doing things to anger their parents too and when the reprimand was shared it wasn't so bad.

"Sorry, sister, but you are."

Crying out in frustration, she grabbed his arm. "Save me, Gideon, you are my hero."

"I'm always saving you." Gideon laughed. "At some point, I'll ask for payback."

"I can do whatever you want."

Tipping a finger against his own chin, her brother appeared to be thinking about that for a long, torturing moment, before saying: "That's tempting. Come to my chambers after dinner, I'll think about a way for you to compensate me."

* * *

A large comfortable armchair was set in one of the corners of the laboratory, Rumple sat on it with Belle on his lap, both clutching at each other like they had found salvation. It wasn't easy to get much time alone in the castle these days and even during the night it seemed that one of the kids were always waking up from troubled sleeps to knock at their door and ask for comfort. The imp spread kisses to his wife's throat, enjoying how sluggish her post-climax movements were.

"Can you believe that we weren't interrupted yet?" He asked in wonder.

Belle's fingers massaged his scalp, her nails brushing at his skin in a way that was capable of driving him mad. "It seems we have to hidden at the laboratory if we want to have a moment alone."

"Four children in this castle is too much." Rumplestiltskin said, still feeling the sweat covering his skin and her slick thighs brushing against his own, wet with the proof of their consummation. "And here we are, clearly not learning the lesson and attempting to make another one."

"Gideon and Rose are not children anymore," Belle pointed out. "They are already in age to get married and start their own lives."

The thing with being immortal is that he barely noticed the time passing, but she was right, their older children were now grown. He looked at his young wife, her tiny, lovely features perfectly conserved through the years by his magic and he traced her lips with his thumb, letting Belle suck at it.

"Do you think we should start to introduce some ladies to our boy?" He questioned, tempted to sink himself in her heat again.

"And get some suitors to our girl."

"Oh, no." Rumplestiltskin shooked his head. "Rose is too young for that, she is only sixteen and I won't be looking for a marriage to her before she is twenty!"

A laugh left her mouth. "I can't believe that we are talking about this as a business negotiation! We are sounding like my father and his men used to."

"I'm not treating this like business, I just want my children to have the best."

"So do I." She said, slipping off of his lap to stand in front of him, grabbing her gown from the floor. "But we need to get dressed now, because we are late for dinner and you were going to ground Rose for sneaking out of the castle without permission again."

"Yeah, certainly."

Waving his hand, he ended their problem, cleaning and dressing them with the help of his magic. Belle straightened her hair, stretching a hand to pull him from the chair and lead Rumple to the door.

"Do I look like I was just coupling with my husband moments ago?" The lady questioned, her cheeks flushed at the thought of their children suspecting of what they were doing up there.

"For me, you do." Rumple smirked. "I can still hear your cries echoing in my mind."

"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes.

They went downstairs, right to the dining hall and Colette ran to threw herself in her mother's arms by the moment she saw them coming, tears shinning in her eyes.

"Mama, Chip don't let me play with him, because I'm too young and a girl." She whined. "He says that girls don't get to play with swords."

"Chip!" Belle called in a tone of reprimand, making the boy jump at the realisation that he was in trouble. "Who told you this? Girls can play with swords whenever they want."

Shrinking, he dropped his gaze to the floor, his brown hair covering his blue eyes as he mumbled: "Swords are for knights, mama, not ladies!"

An offended gasp came from Rose, who was arriving at the dinning hall with the oldest brother by her side. "Well, I'm very good with swords, probably even better than Gideon."

"Oh, do you want to try me?" The boy asked, grabbing one of the wooden swords and pointing at her direction.

She was about to agree and get one of those for herself when Rumplestiltskin decided to intervene, as he was pretty sure that this situation wasn't going to end in a good way.

"Alright, it is time to stop, all of you." He warned the children, the four of them quickly obeying, not to anger their father, so he pointed at the young lady that was his first-born daughter. "And, Rose, you are grounded."

"What? No, papa, please I was at Jefferson's."

"Yeah, but I've said that nobody should leave the castle with this horrible weather. You are always the first one to get a flu and you know that!"

Gideon passed an arm through his sister's shoulders as she looked at him, with teary pleading brown eyes, knowing how much her father would like to surrender and just give her a hug, when she seemed so helpless.

"Come on, papa, give her a second chance." Gideon tried. "I promise you that I'll keep her around."

"Please, papa." Rose begged.

Breathing in, Rumplestiltskin told himself that the Dark One wasn't going to be dissuaded by his children that way. "You won't leave the castle until the snow melt. That is it."

Rose made an unhappy sound and Belle touched her face, muttering: "Next time, listen to your mother." She gripped at Colette's hand and was about to make her way to the dining table when she stopped to make a last addition. "You will clean the library with me tomorrow, Rosebud. And you too, Gideon."

Nodding, Gideon dragged his sister to their usual seats. "As the lady wishes."

A moment later, their two maids entered the hall, to start serving the dinner, bringing a turkey and a pan full of vegetables with them. Mrs. Potts helped the children to put the food in their plates, while Agathe served the wine for her master and lady.

"Agathe did you to that peaches dessert?" Belle asked, already wishing something sweet. "It's my currently favourite thing in the world."

"Mine too." Rumplestiltskin agreed. "It is delicious."

Blush came to the pale cheeks of the maid as she frenetically nodded, unable from taking her eyes of her master as he lifted the glass of wine to his mouth and slowly took a sip, savouring it.

"I - " she tried to started, but needed to stop and take a deeper breath before she could speak properly. "It's in the kitchen, ready to be served!"

"That's great," it was Belle who answered "thank you."

Agathe looked around to find Gideon staring openly at her with a frown and rushed to place the jar of wine in the table, making her way back to the kitchen with Mrs. Potts following her. And as soon as the door closed behind them, the chubby maid pinched her arm with all the strength she had, causing her to let out a cry of pain.

"Ouch! Mrs. Potts why did you do this?"

"For you to learn to keep your eyes away from your master!" Mrs. Potts whispered angrily. "He is the Dark One and is happily married to our lady Belle, girl!"

"I'm sorry. It's just - " Agathe swallowed, but couldn't help herself when a dreamy look crossed her face at her next words. "He is handsome and fascinating."

"And you are a maid! Do your work!"

"Lady Belle was maid too." The girl defended herself, but only earned a slap on the arm from Mrs. Potts. "Ouch! Stop it!"

"I don't want to hear you saying a thing about lady Belle or you will be back to the mines in the Dark Realm as fast as I can manage to open a portal."

"Sorry!" Agathe cried, turning her back to Mrs. Potts and disappearing through the other door of the kitchen, leaving it open for time enough for Mr. Dove to enter it.

"She is not a bad girl." The butler said.

"She is becoming one and we need to keep an eye on her." Mrs. Potts replied in a tone of concern. "Will you do it for me?"

"Anything you want."

* * *

Rose closed the book on her lap, looking down at her little sister that was curled on the bed, hair spread on the white pillows, she smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead, walking to the shelve to place the book there, intending to leave the room when she heard Colette's small voice, calling and jumped, because she thought that the girl was asleep.

"Rosie do you see any bad coming for us?"

"No, darling," she answered, coming back to her side. "Why would I?"

"Because you see bad things."

Her seer powers were something that constantly bothered her and Rose didn't like discussing them with anyone, even more if people started to ask her about her later predictions like it was some exciting thing, instead of a creepy one, but it was Colette who was asking, so all she did was to smile weakly for her, smoothing her hair.

"Yeah, that's true, but why would I see any bad coming for us?"

"I don't know." The little girl shrunk, wrapping herself more in the bedcovers. "I heard papa saying that the people are dying in the villages."

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, Rose sighed, thinking about how much the winter was cruel with most people. It was true that most her friends and family lived in castles or houses that were well constructed, to keep them safe from the snow, but she couldn't help feeling compassion for all the commoners that were suffering right now.

"It's the weather. Not everybody is lucky as us, to have a warm home and food to feed their families."

"That is sad." Colette mumbled. "I wish we could help them."

"I do too, but now you have to sleep, because you are safe and sound and nothing bad will reach you."

The door behind her opened and Belle entered her youngest daughter's chambers, wearing a long fuzzy vest above her nightgown. "How are my girls?"

"Ready to go to bed." Rose answered walking away from Colette's bed as her mother bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams, mama." Colette replied, sleepy.

Together, they left her chambers as quiet as possible, knowing that Chip was probably already asleep in the room next to hers, but Rose's mind was full of loud thoughts.

"Is that true?" She asked Belle. "The people in the villages are dying?"

"Yes, but gladly the winter is almost over." The Dark Lady answered, kissing her cheek and making her way to her own chambers. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well, mama."

Waiting until Belle had fully closed the door, Rose went down the hall, knocking at Gideon's door. It didn't take long for him to open it, with a bored expression in his face. "It was about time."

"Sorry, Colette got me." Rose said as he dragged her in. The room was cold with the breeze that entered through the windows that he didn't seem to bother to close, the fireplace had no flames and Roderick was sat by Gideon's desk with a plate of leftovers right in front of him. "Hey, Roderick. I should start calling you ghost, as no one ever sees you coming in."

Rolling his eyes, the dark-haired boy took a sip of his wine, before mumbling: "Funny as always, little beauty."

Gideon's boyfriend was a part of those poor commoners that were struggling hard this winter. His father was a fisherman that was earning no money those days and his mother had been ill for years, barely leaving the bed most of the time. They had met around five years later when his family moved to a small house near Ruby's and ever since, they became inseparable, even though the two boys only had started dating recently.

"What do you want to try today?" Gideon asked, opening the spell book he had been hiding in one of hi drawers.

"I don't know."

"It is really unfair to see you two playing with magic while I keep watching in the corner like a child." Roderick complained.

Handing the book to Rose, Gideon walked towards him to grip at his shoulder, pointing the plate with a swift movement of his head. "Eat your meal, Rod."

"My boyfriend, the gentleman."

The girl flipped the pages, until she found something that didn't seem to be destructive. "This one!"

"Yes," Gideon agreed when she showed the page for him. "that looks good."

Roderick snorted. "When the Dark One found out that the two of you stole his spell book, he is going to kill you."

* * *

A loud scream woke up Gideon and he almost fell from the bed in his hurry to get up. His heart flipped inside his chest as another scream came from one of the chambers in the hallway.

"What the hell is it?" Roderick questioned, rubbing at his eyes with clenched fists.

"Rose." Gideon replied. "Stay here."

He rushed out of his room, only getting the mind to close the door, to not let his parents see Roderick inside, before he stormed into Rose's, shaking her shoulder to wake her up from the vision. She sat on the bed, breathing fast and heavy, leaning her head to his chest.

"Hey, sweet, calm down." He muttered, smoothing her back. "Breath."

"Gid - "

"I know, just tell me what this was about."

Lifting her eyes to him, she whispered: "A King is going to die."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:** My apologize if there is something wrong with my writing. English is not my first language._


	2. Chapter 2

As Rose calmed down her breath their parents entered her chambers with worried faces. Belle immediately slid to her side on the bed, enlacing her in her motherly embrace.

"What is happening?" Rumplestiltskin asked, looking down at his family.

"Another vision." Gideon told them. "It's alright, papa, I've got it."

A deep sigh left his mouth as he smoothed his daughter's back. It was an old know trouble for him, because Rose had visions ever since she was a baby and in each passing year they only got worse. At first, they just kept Mrs. Potts in the same chambers as her, but as she grown and started to describe the horrible scenario she saw, things got more difficult. There were nights when he and Belle barely slept, trying to comfort her as she woke from nightmare to nightmare.

Gideon had showed himself concerned from the very start, starting to wake at his sister's screams too and insisting to sing to make her sleep. They got the habit from standing by each other from that, as Rose started to sleep gripping at his hand. He was proud that his boy was a good brother, but he didn't want to give him the responsibility of taking care of her like that.

He remembered the time when Belle got pregnant with Chip, walking around the castle with a half-sleep six-year-old girl on her arms and a swollen belly. She was so exhausted by that time that he brought Agathe permanently from the Dark Realm, hiring her to help at the kitchen, so Mrs. Potts could spend all the needed time with Rose and give Belle some rest. He found her crying a lot of times after that, when she complained about not being able to take their daughter's visions away.

The imp kneeled in front of the bed, brushing the auburn curls away from Rose's face as he asked: "What did you saw, sweetheart?"

"A King dying." She sniffed. "I don't know who yet, but I bet that soon I'll discover."

"Oh, baby!" Belle exclaimed. "Let's go downstairs and get a cup of tea."

Rose shooked her head, refusing it, like she usually did. Rumple didn't know exactly why, but she always seemed a little hesitant in receiving anything. He wished that he could reach his daughter through the walls she had lifted up around herself, but from all his children, she was the one who was most alike him in this matter. Neither of them thought that they deserved too much, but the sad part, was that she had everything he never did and was still extremely closed. Sometimes, he just blamed himself for it, because it was his curse that tormented that sweet young lady.

"No, it's alright, you can go back to sleep."

"We are not leaving you." The imp insisted, taking her by the hand to pull her up. "Come on, Rosebud."

She stood on her feet with her mother's protective arm wrapped around her shoulders, but she didn't look convinced that she should in fact do it. On the other end of the bed, his son squeezed her hand gently.

"Go with them, that will be good for you." Gideon encouraged.

Nodding, she let her parents drag her through the hall, the three of them enlaced together, Rose in the middle, being spoiled by them as if Rumple hadn't grounded her that right morning. They were on the stairs to the second floor, when the ghostly image of Agathe almost stumbled on them. Her blonde straight hair was falling around her shoulders and her night vest closed tightly with the stripe on her waist.

"I've heard somebody screaming." She said.

"Yeah, that was me, Agathe." His daughter answered, her cold fingers running at the scales on the back of his hand. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"It's alright, milady Rose. Can I do something for you?"

"A cup of tea?" Belle suggested.

"Ready to go!"

Rushing to the kitchen, the maid left them alone again, what he thought as a good thing, since she irritated him more than anything. Of course, that a lot of things were easily capable of getting him stressed, but Agathe was seriously annoying and not in a good way. As much as he complained about Mrs. Potts and Mr. Dove, he liked them and really appreciated their devotion to his family, but the glances youngest maid was lately sending him, were just disgusting.

Leading Rose towards the chaise near the spinning wheel, the imp sat by her side, with his wife in the other end of it as the girl curled between them like a small child, laying her head against his shoulder, while her mother ran her fingers slowly through the curls of her hair.

"You'll be alright." Rumple whispered.

Biting at her lip, she lifted her eyes to him. "Can't you make any kind of potion for me? To stop the visions?"

"You know that I've tried it before, but nothing can stop them."

His infinity work in making a potion capable of blocking her visions, started when she was two. Rumplestiltskin had searched in all the realms for something strong enough to do the work, but nothing ever did. Actually, he had made some wrong decision with ingredients once or twice and got her sleeping for a whole week or having glimpses of her visions while awake. In the first occasion, Belle freak out and refused to speak to him, until he got to wake their daughter.

"But can you do it again?" Rose almost begged. "Please."

Breathing in, he found himself unable to refuse it. "I will try tomorrow morning, I promise."

"Thanks."

Belle glanced at him, worriedly. He knew that she was afraid and feeling her heart heavy in her chest, just like he was, but he needed to do something for Rose, he couldn't just sit there and watch her getting more troubled each passing day.

Steps echoed in the quiet dining hall and Agathe came from the kitchen, holding a tray in her hands.

"Do you want me to serve the tea on the dining table or - "

"We are going to drink it here." Belle said. "Thank you, Agathe."

Smiling and placing the tray in the small table that was set by their side, Agathe filled three cups and handing it to each one of them, before she grabbed the small bowl with a little spoon.

"Sugar?" Asked the maid.

She attended both her ladies, then walked to her master, putting the requested amount of sugar in his cup, however the way she bent to do so, brushing her arm against his shoulder was enough to anger him.

"Do you know what personal space means, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin questioned in his most impish voice.

Agathe's grey eyes stared at him, puzzledly. "Yeah, why?"

"Because you're invading mine."

Jumping back, she seemed to realise what she had been doing while Rose suffocated a laugh, looking down at her tea.

"Oh, I'm sorry master!" Agathe said, leaving the bowl on the tray before almost running to the door that led to the kitchen.

"Why do you have to be so rude with everyone?" His wife asked, clearly unaware of how inappropriate the maid's behaviour had been lately. "She was just putting sugar on your cup!"

"But she doesn't have to lean on me to do that!"

"The real arguments my parents have." Rose rolled her eyes, drinking all her tea at once. "I think that I'm going back to bed."

Worry came to Belle's eyes again, her hand on their daughter's arm, keeping the girl in place. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

"I appreciate the concern," Rose smiled gratefully at her "but I'm not a child anymore, I can sleep alone."

"I'll find you with Gideon tomorrow, won't I?" Belle inquired, already knowing that Rose wasn't actually going to her own room. She needed her brother to sing.

"Probably." The girl gave her a side smile, before standing up and pressing a kiss to her cheek, doing the same with him. "Goodnight, you two."

Rose slowly went to the end of the hall, climbing up the stairs until they couldn't see her anymore.

"Our poor girl. I wish we could do something for her." Belle muttered, her eyes filled with tears and her fingers tracing the border of her white and blue cup. "I've experienced those visions when I was expecting her, Rumple, and they are horrible. I can't even begin to imagine how terrible it should be passing through it constantly!"

"You know I've travelled all realms trying to get something that could stop this, but her powers come from my curse and it's impossible to get rid of it."

"She is suffering." The words came from her mouth as a muffled sob. "Our child is suffering."

Rumplestiltskin felt like his heart was being crushed on his chest, his impotence in helping his family hitting him like a dozen rocks.

"Come here, darling." He mumbled, placing their cups on the tray and grabbing Belle by the waist, clutching her against his chest.

For a long moment, all they did was too stay there in each other's arms in the middle of the dark dining hall on the same chaise that so many times they had lost themselves in lust and love. They were truly afraid for their child and they knew that the only person they could rely on, was one another.

A whole eternity could have passed before Belle lifted her head, mouth slowly finding its way up. Rumplestiltskin caressed her nose with the tip of his as he leaned on her, their lips missing each other's a little, but none of them cared for that, because they pressing bodies together and it didn't take them long to deepen that clumsy kiss. Belle sat on his lap, just like they had done earlier, rubbing herself against him, causing his member to twitch in answer.

"Do you think anyone will wake up screaming in the next hour?" She asked, hips moving to tease him.

"No. I think we are perfectly safe."

Her hands went down to grab his length through the fabric of his long nightshirt, and his fingers sank on the soft skin of her thighs as he got hard under her touch. She lifted herself, managing to pull his nightshirt up so his member was exposed to her.

He mentally thanked all the gods for Rose's decision of going back to bed, otherwise, his night would never end up like this. The imp pulled off the big fuzzy warm vest his wife was wearing and that had been preventing him from feeling the curves of her body, letting it fall, so he could start opening the buttons on the front of Belle's gown, the cool weather causing her nipples to hardener instantly when the breeze hit them. Rumplestiltskin caught one on his mouth, sucking at it while Belle stroke his length.

"Milady, do you - " Agathe started to say, coming back from the kitchen and jumping at the image of her master and milady working on each other right there in the chaise, where anybody could suddenly walk on them just like she did. "Oh, gods, I'm sorry!"

Even in the dark, Rumplestiltskin could tell that she was blushing, exactly like Belle. Angry, he lifted his head, pressing his wife more against him, so the stupid maid who kept starting at them like an idiot, wouldn't see anything else that she shouldn't and yelled at her: "Agathe, if you don't vanish from my sight in five seconds, I'll turn you into a toad."

Colour vanished from her already pale face as Agathe took the stairs to her chambers as fast as she could.

"Rude." Belle whispered, but she was already lifting herself and leading his tip to part her wet folds.

Groaning with the pleasure of slipping all the way inside her, Rumplestiltskin waved his hand, the magic making them appear in their bed. He flipped her to her back, changing positions and gripping at her knee, hearing Belle moan.

"I'll show you what is rude."

* * *

The first thing she saw, after finally getting some precious hours of a dreamless sleep, was the blind light that came from the huge windows covered by Gideon's silhouette, his face right above hers as he shook her shoulder.

"Rose, sweet, wake up."

She blinked at him, rubbing her eyes and trying to get used to the morning light. Gideon hadn't been able to sleep too much after her screams woke him last night. When she came back to his room, in need of a hug and a song, Roderick had dressed himself and let him use his magic, to send him back home as Rose took his place in the bed, falling deep asleep.

"Hey, brother." The girl mumbled. "I'm sorry for scaring Roderick last night."

"It's fine, but if you keep taking my boyfriend out of my bed, I doubt that this relationship is going to last." Gideon pulled away from her, passing a black leather jacket through his arms. "Where is Roland when we need him to soothe you?"

Sighing Rose slip off of the bed, clicking her fingers together to change her nightgown to a velvet long-sleeved purple dress. "Will you ever stop teasing me about that?"

"I don't think so."

Finding a brush on one of his drawers, she straightened her hair, before styling it half-up and half-down, just like their mother used to do on her own hair. He placed the spell book they were using last night back to its safe place, so their father wouldn't find it, before offering her his arm to take as they left the room together, stumbling on their oldest maid at the corridor.

"Mrs. Potts!" Rose jumped at the sight of her. "Whoa, you scared me."

"Milady Belle, said that I should check on you."

"Well, I'm fine." The girl shrugged, walking away quickly, so she wouldn't have to keep answering the maid's questions.

Unfortunately, she forgot that Mrs. Potts wasn't all soft with Gideon too, because she started to inquire: "What secrets does you two keep in this room?"

"None." Gideon answered in his most innocent voice.

A frown formed on the maid's face. "Why do I have the feeling that you are lying?"

"I'm not, Mrs. Potts."

"I've known you since the moment you were born, child." She pointed an accusative finger at him and the boy remembered that during his childhood that same chubby woman was a tender friend who was always around taking care of him and his siblings as much as their parents did. Mrs. Potts was right, she was family and knew them better than most people. "You don't fool me."

With a snort, she turned her back to him and Gideon simply rolled his eyes, finally making his way to the dining hall where his whole family was already sitting by the table, the children eating while an argument seemed to be happening between his parents and Rose.

"What are you discussing?" He asked, pulling up a chair so he could take the place near his sister.

"I need to make a trip to the Dark Realm," Rumplestiltskin answered "but I'm not trusting in leaving you all alone just with the help."

"You're taking mother with you?" The boy questioned, serving himself some tea.

"Obviously. And Agathe too, so we can organize the whole achieve again before we leave."

That sounded like the perfect opportunity, to have Roderick around for a whole week or more, maybe he could close the castle with some protection spells and call some of their friends for a reunion. But only if he managed to convince his father to leave them alone.

"And why don't you trust us?" Rose spoke. "We can take care of Chip and Colette."

"Darling, you don't even take care of yourself." Belle replied placing a half peach on Colette's plate.

"This is about being a seer? Because if it is, then you are being unfair."

"There is nothing to do with that." His father gasped. "But, as I was saying before your brother interrupted me, I sent a letter to Bae and he is going to stay here for some days."

"Unbelievable!" Gideon exclaimed. "We don't need somebody watching us."

"You do." Rumplestiltskin bounced. "Now the discussion is over."

A snort left the boy as he exchanged an annoyed glance with Rose, both disappointed as their plans were clearly not going to succeed.

"Did you try that potion we've talked about last night, papa?" His sister asked, before taking a sip of her tea.

"I haven't done any progress yet, sweetheart, but I'm working on it."

"Why do you need a potion for, Rosie?" Colette questioned.

Rose sighed, muttering: "The visions."

"Oh." The little girl mumbled.

A tense silence took the breakfast table, they all looking down at their plates, with heavy hearts, when Chip suddenly said: "Rose is weird."

"I'm not!"

"Chip!" Rumplestiltskin and Belle shout out at the same time.

"What? She is." The boy shrugged. "I've heard her screaming yesterday. Who is fated to die this time?"

Standing up, the oldest sister left the hall with teary eyes, running to the entryway. Both their parents attempted to go after her, but Gideon waved his head for them, indicating that they should stay in place as he followed her.

"Wait, Rose!" Gideon called, gripping her arm and turning the sad girl to face him. "Hey, don't listen to him."

"He is right, you know? I'm weird. I've predicted the death of our sibling even before I was born."

That was an old story that haunted her since their mother explained how they found out about her powers. Gideon never knew that she had suffered a miscarriage before that day, but he saw in her eyes how that had affected her. She still mourned the loss of that child.

"Look at me." He said, lifting Rose's chin. "You need to stop this, because complaining won't do any good."

The advice was something he had learned during his life, as he tried to accept himself, first with his physical impish appearance and them with the fact that he liked boys not girls. But he didn't want his precious little sister to suffer because of her powers as a seer.

"I have an idea." Gideon said.

"What?"

"I think I know somebody that can help us, but we need to wait for mama and papa to go on this trip. Until then, just hold on a bit, alright?"

"Alright." Rose agreed, sniffing and wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

* * *

Agathe placed one of her gowns inside the chest, completely lost in thoughts. She had been eager for this trip since the moment her master had told her that they were going.

The maid wasn't sure of exactly when she started to fancy about him, or why she did it, as most people thought him to be disgusting and ugly, but everything he was for her was exciting and interesting, like an exotic kind of person. Of course, that the whole family was intriguing, but he was somehow special. Gideon never seemed to like her. Rose, she thought, was just a whining spoiled girl who complained too much and had an awkward friendship with Gideon, always following him around the castle. The other two children were just too noise, but she specially liked them because she had the chance to take some care of them just like she used to do with the babies that arrived at the Dark Realm when Fiona ruled it.

By the time she came to the castle, milady Belle was already expecting Chip, and what most irritated her at that time was the fact that even when all she looked was fat and depressive, Rumplestiltskin adored her like a goddess. Agathe had no idea of what that blue-eyed woman had to make him so fancied about her, but she didn't like it. She only loved seen how her master was a good father, always devoting his time to his children, and her heart always pounded quickly on her chest when he took one of his babies from her arms, with that giant smile he very rarely showed.

Some weeks ago, when she caught him with milady Belle, Agathe got a whole new fantasy to haunt her thoughts, and when she slept, the same dream came to her mind, but it was always her on his lap, never the lady. She bit at her lip, turning around to look for another dress when the door to her chambers opened and Mrs. Potts passed through it.

"Master Neal and his wife, the princess are to arrive tonight." The maid said.

"I know."

"So why are you not preparing their chambers?"

Agathe looked at her over her shoulder. "I'm packing for the trip. I thought you would do this."

"No, dear, you will." Mrs. Potts said, her tone so damn impassive that Agathe snorted and headed to the door, but her way was blocked by the other maid. "Now, before you go, let me give you an advice."

"What is it?"

"Don't you dare thinking that because you are accompanying them, you are special." Mrs. Potts pointed, harshly. "There is a reason why master keeps his wife young and beautiful. _He loves her_. So, stay the hell away from him."

"Men take mistresses all the time in all the realms." Agathe replied, folding her arms.

"And you would relish being his mistress?"

"Maybe, I would." She shrugged, receiving a slap from Mrs. Potts. "Ouch!"

The younger maid didn't see any problem with being someone mistress' because it was actually a pretty normal thing. Even kings kept lovers so why wouldn't the Dark One do it? Not that he had any reputation to keep, as everyone was scared of him and used to call his wife a whore, since she once was a princess who he defiled.

"Give yourself some respect, girl!" Mrs. Potts reprehended her.

"I've grown on the Dark Realm with the Black Fairy. I don't even know the meaning of respect anymore."

"I'm going to teach you then." The chubby maid said. "Try something, Agathe and I will tell everything to milady Belle, so you will get to know the real Dark Lady."

With this last threat, Mrs. Potts left, heading to the kitchen, decided to protect the family she so loved.

* * *

"Milady Rose?"

She finished to tie Colette's hair into a braid and lifted her gaze to the butler that was standing by the opened door of her chambers.

"Hey, Mr. Dove. Can I help you?"

"Your brother's carriage is parking outside." He informed. "I thought you would like to known."

"Certainly, thank you." Rose answered leaving the hairbrush on the dressing table and grabbing her little sister's hand. "Lette, come on, darling. Neal is here."

They went downstairs, finding the rest of their family and household waiting by the front doors as Neal and Emma entered the castle, opening his arms to receive his stepmother and half-sisters.

"Whoa, a big hug, huh?" Neal smiled, turning around to see the boys. "Hey, little brothers."

He greeted Gideon and Chip while Emma hugged Belle and her daughters. When he finally reached his father, the imp held him tight.

"Is so good to see you, son." Rumplestiltskin whispered to him.

A small child came from behind Emma, jumping joyfully to Belle's arms and stretching herself to reach Rumple. "Great-grandma! Great-grandpa!"

"You brought little Lucy." The imp bounced, brushing a finger at his great-granddaughter's cheek.

"Yeah, Henry was at Arendelle the last time we've heard from him." Neal told them.

Belle's lips formed a thin line as she kissed the girl's forehead. "Still searching?"

"Yeah." Emma muttered.

Henry's journey to find his wife, after she mysteriously disappeared from their castle, had begun months ago, but he hasn't find any clues that could lead him to her yet, so he just kept faithfully searching wherever he could. Colette, pulled away from Rose's grip jumping to tap a hand on Lucy's leg, a little jealously for seeing other child in her mother's arms.

"Lucy, come play dolls with me!" She yelled.

Belle placed the girl on the floor and the two of them made their way to the toys room, as their parents led their guests to the dining hall, until Gideon and Rose were the only ones left in the entryway.

"Gid, it's her." She muttered, gripping at his arm.

Her visions of Lucy had started very earlier, even before her nephew's daughter was born and they only got clearer every time Rose had them now-a-days.

"When will you tell them?" Gideon asked.

Shrinking, she looked at the floor, biting at her lip. "In some years, maybe?"

"You can't keep this secret forever."

"I know and I won't, but her mother is missing. I can't throw this on them right now."

"Yeah." Gideon agreed, dragging her inside the castle. "Let's wait."


	3. Chapter 3

After a great family dinner, the day prior, Rumple and Belle had left the castle through a portal that morning, taking Agathe with them and leaving their children to the care of the imp's eldest son. When breakfast was over and Rose ended the second argument between Chip and Colette, about her and Lucy not being able to play swords with him, sending the children to separated towers, she dragged Gideon to her chambers, so they could talk alone, without anyone hearing their secrets.

"So, what's your plan, big genius?" Rose asked after closing the door behind them. "Neal and Emma will never in a million years let us go anywhere."

Gideon shrugged like it was obvious. "I'll cast a spell."

"Simply like that?" She rolled her eyes, folding her arms and glancing at him full of doubts that it was really going to work. "You'll just cast a spell?"

Making his black cloak appear with magic, Gideon passed the fabric around his shoulders, closing the pin that held it in place as he said: "Yeah, Neal don't understand much about magic and I doubt Emma would pay enough attention to notice the trick of the delude spell." He explained. "It works very easy. When someone opens the door, fake realistic images of us will appear here."

There was a knock on the door and Gideon entered the closet as Rose opened it, to reveal Princess Emma, who was wearing a pale grey gown and had a sweet smile on her face.

"Rose, hey, I was thinking if you could help me find some good books at the library."

Just like a fish out of the water, Rose opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, without knowing how to decline her brother's wife request gently. She gripped at the door's knob, making a painful expression and curling herself a little.

"I'm not feeling very well right now."

"Oh," Emma muttered "do you want me to ask Mrs. Potts to check on you?"

"No, no! It's just some, you know, women matters." Rose answered with pinkish cheeks. "I'm going to spend some time in bed, my mother says it helps."

Emma nodded, taking a step back to the hallway. "Of course. If you need something, just call me."

"Right." The girl replied, already closing the door again. "Good luck with the books."

When she turned back to her room, her brother was walking out of the closet, laughing a little. "Women matters?" Gideon chuckled.

"Our plan would be ruined if she dragged me to the library."

"You're a terrible liar."

As if she didn't know that already. It was rare the times where Rose tried to lie to her parents or their maids but it never really worked, she was just lucky now, because Emma didn't know her enough to see how nervous she was by saying something to trick someone.

"Can you go on with the freaking spell?" She asked.

Gideon took a parchment from his cloak's pocket, starting to read the words from it while Rose pulled on her own cape. A soft golden glow took the chambers, the magic doing its work.

"Done." Gideon said. "We just need to be back by diner time, or we will have problems."

With that, he vanished them from their castle, using his powers to make them appear in the middle of a village, that was also being punished by the bad weather, snow covering the roofs of the houses and establishments. She braced herself, trying to get warm as she looked up to her brother, with a question on the tip of her tongue.

"Who are we looking for?"

"Lady Heart." Gideon answered.

"Lady Heart?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "What kind of name is that?"

"Ask her, not me."

"That sounds fake."

"Our mother is the Dark Lady. Those things don't have to make sense."

Rose was about to start a discussion, because she wasn't going to trust someone with such a fake name to take her visions away, but Gideon grabbed her arm and started to drag her through the village. She was desperate, of course, but she had learned from her father that desperate souls are the ones who makes the most dangerous deals. And people all around the realms could be fool enough to sell their whole lives in moments of despair, but not Rumplestiltskin's daughter, she was clever than that.

Her hood kept up, hiding her face all the time, exactly like her brother's, and they moved around like cloaked ghosts, until they found a small wooden house, which's door was cracked open.

"Excuse me?" Gideon called, entering the place, with Rose right behind him.

A rather old woman, all dressed in black with brown eyes and chestnut hair tied in an undone bun came from another room, looking at them with genuine surprise.

"Whoa, I wasn't expecting to see a new Dark One so soon." Lady Heart said. "So, Rumplestiltskin finally got killed."

 _Typical._ For the ones who didn't know her family, the only one who could have the appearance of a Dark One, was him. Gideon and Colette were always a surprise to every people who met them, while Rose and Chip barely were noticed.

"I'm afraid I am not the Dark One, milady, just his son." Her brother answered, stretching a hand for the lady to take. "Gideon, very nice to meet you. This is my sister, Rose."

"He had children." Lady Heart said, in a tone of wonder. "Almost unbelievable, but I bet he got you two from a deal, with some desperate soul."

Another typical thing. Rose had heard those reactions so many times while growing up, that she was starting to think that her life was becoming a cliché.

"Actually, he is married now, and has another two children."

"Well, there is crazy women all around the realms. But what brings you here?"

This time, Gideon exchanged a long glance with her before he proceeded, silently asking for her permission to speak and her last consent, so they could go on with this. Rose just nodded, even though she was still unsure about that woman.

"My sister is a seer and is having some trouble with her gifts. We wish to know a way to stop it."

"Stop the visions?" Lady Heart laughed. "This is impossible."

"Magic can do pretty amazing things, I'm sure it could help us a bit." Gideon insisted.

Walking around the small room, the lady tipped a finger to her chin, as if she was deeply thinking about that, considering if they were worth any information or not. When she stopped and looked back at them, she had a smile on her lips that creepily reminded her of Zelena's wicked smirk, when she had some evil plan in her mind.

"There is a very rare book of spells that I've heard about long ago, but I believe that a lady called Maleficent has it right now. Your answer can be there."

Gideon nodded. "Aye, thank you."

He was about to take Rose out of the house, but the questions in her head were too loud to be ignored, so she kept standing where she was, staring mistrustfully at Lady Heart.

"Can I ask you one more question, milady?" The girl asked.

"Yes, sure."

"How do you know my father?"

The smirk on her lips only got wider, her eyes shining a little with the realisation that Rumplestiltskin's girl was a clever one, and hadn't left that one pass. Gideon looked between the two of them, trying to understand why his sister was asking her this, when probably every living person knew their father.

"Long ago, I made a deal with him." Lady Heart told them. "But at this point I believe everyone did."

"I think you're right. So, talking as a dealer's daughter, what is your price for the information you gave us?"

"Today? Nothing." The woman said. "But someday I can need some information from you two."

"Well, we always pay our debts." Gideon smiled at her. "Again, thank you, milady."

Brother and sister left the house, side by side, walking around the village and observing the commoners working even with the cool weather, most of them wearing clothes that seemed too thin for such a terrible time of the year. Rose was freezing inside her bulky cloak and warm velvet dress, so she couldn't begin to imagine what those people were going through.

"She is creepy." Rose said to Gideon as they walked. "I don't trust her."

His mind however was working in a total different direction as hers. "Do you think we can find Maleficent before the sundown?"

"No way, and I've risked myself enough for a day. There is always the chance that this _Lady Heart_ could be lying to us. We should go back home, Gid."

"Alright, but can we stop at Roderick's first?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Priorities, brother."

"This is a _major priority_."

Placing both her hands on her own hips, she stopped right in front of him with a frown on her face. She felt that it was really unfair that Gideon got to make his secret boyfriend appear on his chambers every single night while she played the part of the good lady and stayed apart from her own.

"I haven't seen Roland since this snow covered the forest in white, I think you can wait until it is night and he appears in your chambers." A smirk passed through her lips, a new thought forming on her mind. "What gives me a brilliant idea of how I must end up my day."

"You are not bringing that _archer_ to your chambers."

The first thing that she wanted to say, was that Roland wasn't just an archer, but also a great sorcerer trained by his mother the former Evil Queen, however she knew that Gideon didn't give a damn about it.

"Why not?" She asked, instead.

"Because you're a lady."

"I wasn't going to do anything other than talk!" Rose defended herself, but then had to bit her lip to contain a little smile. "Well, maybe kiss."

"No." Her brother insisted.

"Gideon, _you're not_ _my father_." The girl bounced, already prepared to leave and write a letter for her sweetheart. "Let's go home."

* * *

Belle walked inside the archive with Agathe right behind her. They hadn't stopped for a minute since their arrival at the Dark Realm, unpacking, talking with some of their servants and the people they left in care of things there, while they spent their time at their own realm. Mr. Cogsworth, a tall, thin, dark-haired man with green eyes, was one of their most important helpers, that ruled the mines most of the time.

"The archive is exactly the way you left the last time, my Queen." He informed, pointing at the shelves that Belle organized with such dedication during their last trip.

Rumplestiltskin had immediately went pay a visit to the miners, both to see if the work was being done the way it should and to confirm that their conditions remained perfectly good and no one was being mistreated like they were during Fiona's reign.

"Thank you, Mr. Cogsworth." Belle smiled "And what about the workers, are they doing well? Receiving everything they should?"

"Of course, my Queen."

She wasn't exactly used to that title, but ever since she and her husband took control of the Dark Realm, they became their king and queen and no one could change the vision their subjects had about them, but at least, she always thought, they were loved and respected by their people, not anything else. The miners didn't fear Rumple like everyone in their realm did, they were grateful for all he did for them and were only frightened of his power.

"Alright, I need to check some things here first, but then I'll join your King and make a visit to them."

"As you wish," the servant replied. "I'll be waiting outside to take you there."

He left the women alone, closing the door of the archive behind him as Belle started to walk between the shelves, looking for the registers her husband had asked her for.

"Mr. Cogsworth likes you." Agathe said in a teasing tone, following her lady some steps behind.

Belle shrugged. "He is a good man, I like him too."

"Not like this, milady." She chuckled. "He likes you like a husband should like a wife."

Lifting an eyebrow, Belle felt the need to laugh too, because that prospect was so absurd that she didn't even know why her maid was paying attention at this. Mr. Cogsworth wasn't an ugly man, in fact, she thought that most ladies she knew would find him very attractive, but not her. Belle's heart and soul could only see one man and he had all those amazing green-gold scales along his body.

"Oh, Agathe, I'm already very well married. I won't pay attention to this."

Biting at her lip, the maid passed her fingers through the parchments kept in the shelves, before lifting a hand to straight her blonde hair. "How did you know that master was the right man for you?"

"I don't know exactly how, but everything about him always enchanted me, even the dark parts that anyone else appreciated." Belle answered in a melancholic way, remembering about the beautiful start of her relationship with her husband. "Rumplestiltskin became my everything very quickly."

"I've heard on the nearest village to the castle that he only married you because you got pregnant."

"Silly rumours." She shrugged, finally reaching the parchment she had been looking for. "You were present the day we wed and I already had two children by that time, not to count the poor little baby we lost."

It was truth that the loss of that child still got her mourning sometimes, even it had been happening around fifteen years ago, she would always think about it, because for Belle she had always had five children, not four, she just never got to know one of them.

"Some woman become infertile after miscarriage." Agathe mumbled as she sat by a large table and that made Belle look at her over her shoulder with a puzzled expression. "What you clearly didn't and it's a blessing that you can still have babies."

"This conversation is getting awkward, we'd better work."

Turning her attention to the parchment, Belle started to study every single line of it. Some weeks ago, the fairies had brought them the sick news that a part of their lot of magic, simply wasn't reaching its destiny and never made it to their place, what really had got them concerned and brought Rumple and Belle there to analyse the situation and try to find the person who had been stealing from them.

The parchment she had in hands kept the registers of the last trimester, and if something was wrong it should show, but all the sales seemed incredibly normal, so she started to take older registers, passing the documents to Agathe to take a second check after she did. Belle didn't know how long it took until the door opened and steps echoed behind them.

"Got distracted?" Rumplestiltskin asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, no!" She tapped a hand on her forehead. "I'm sorry, Rumple, I was so concentrated that I lost the track of the time!"

Pulling a chair to her side, he got a seat, looking down at the same parchment she had uselessly being studying for the last twenty minutes. "Have you found anything yet?"

"No. Agathe and I looked everywhere, but the registers don't show us our ghostly dealer."

His eyes flew to the maid, whose glance were divided between staring at the registers that were set in front of her in the table, and looking at them from the corner of her grey eyes. A nosy irritating thing that he didn't want to see when he already had so many bad things to think about.

"Get out of here, dearie." Rumplestiltskin demanded, point the door to her.

"But, master - "

"Now!" He yelled, harshly, scaring the girl and making her vanish from the archive as soon as she managed too. Taking a deep breath, he stared at his wife, showing her a troubled face. "This is getting me seriously worried Belle."

"We will find this person, my love."

"Oh, yeah, and when we do I'll show it that nobody steals from the Dark One, but you don't understand. Someone is taking powerful magic from our mines and we don't know what kind of tricks this person can be preparing, that's what getting me concerned."

Suddenly seeming to be lost in thoughts, Belle let her hand unconsciously stroke his arm, releasing some tension from his muscles. Her mind was back to the dungeons in the time when the Black Fairy were their greatest threat and she was simply and completely scared for the future of her family.

"Do you remember that Blue told me long ago that the darkness in your mother was going to find another host when you killed her?" She asked Rumple and he nodded. "Do you think the ghostly dealer has something to do with that?"

"I hope not, we already have too many problems to add another to our list. We still have to work on Rose's visions." He said, ponderously, but then a small flicker of light passed through his eyes, a smile forming in his lips as he let a hand touch her flat belly. "And taking about our endless list of unfinished matters, aren't you feeling any change that could tell us that you are expecting another sweet child of ours?"

"No. I'm bleeding. I - " Belle swallowed, pulling away from his touch with eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Rumple."

"There is nothing to be sorry about." He assured her. "We have a plenty amount of children to take care of already and we can keep trying if you wish, but we don't _need_ to have another baby."

He said that now, but it was his idea in first place and there had been months of exhaustive attempts that ended in nothing. Not that they really had much time to try making a child these days, as they had to lock themselves in the lab the last time, but even so, it was frustrating her. Belle had problems with that before, when they spent years without any success before Rose came, but now there were another factors that could very well interfere in that, and only made her more disappointed with herself.

Right after they got married, the two of them had agreed that Rumple would keep her young with a spell, so they could live as many years they wished, before they decided to find a way to break his immortality and just grown old together, letting death take them, but something that they had also agreed to was to always have they joy of having children to take care in their castle. That part seemed to have stopped working.

"I'm old." Belle complained.

"You are not old."

"I'm forty!"

"No, my dear, you stopped aging at twenty-five." Rumplestiltskin reminded her. "You're young."

"What if I can never born you another child?"

A frown formed in his face. "Why are you saying that?"

"No reason." She tried to calm herself, shooking her head in an attempt to vanish the bad thought got in there ever since she had that weird conversation with her maid. "I think something Agathe said earlier just stuck to my head."

"Belle, it's alright." He said, kissing her cheek. "And I don't want you to feel pressed to have another baby. We can relish in having grandchildren, because I bet that if we find Gideon the right lady to marry it won't take us long to have one or two."

That was another thing that was bothering her. Gideon and Rose were growing up and would soon leave the Dark Castle to live their own lives and that terrified her. Would anyone but them be able to soothe her daughter when she woke up screaming in the middle of the night because of a vision? Would anyone love and accept Gideon as much as she loved and accepted Rumple? Who said that she was ready to be anyone's grandmother other than Henry's? And why would that prevent her from having more children? She knew queens that had fourteen babies. Gods forbid she had that much children, but why not just another one?

"I don't." Belle mumbled, standing up. "I just want to be alone for a while, so I'm going to our chambers."

"Sweetheart - "

"I'm fine." She guaranteed.

That was a lie.

* * *

Rose finished reading for Chip and tucked Colette and Lucy in bed, making sure they were both comfortable before she went back to her own chambers. It apparently was a habit in their family that the eldest child would take care of the youngest, Neal looked out for them until he got married and left with his wife, Gideon always got her through her visions and Rose read for her siblings some nights, just like their mother did too. Colette was the closest to her than Chip, but that was probably because her little brother thought everything was about knights and dragons.

She sat by the dresser, brushing her hair to make sure that it didn't look a mess of curls, and wishing she had permission to uncover one of the mirrors. Gideon's door had been locked with a spell, ever since the dinner ended and she knew that Roderick was already in there with him, and she was waiting for her loved one to come see her too, as the letter she sent him earlier had asked.

Sherwood Forest wasn't far from there and she could have gone see him if she wasn't afraid of her father somehow finding out and grounding her for the rest of the year. A book of poetry was laid open in front of her and Rose set the hairbrush back to the drawer before getting it on her hands as she stood up, walking towards the bed when a blue cloud of smoke appeared in the corner of the room, bringing Roland with it. She immediately threw her arms around his neck and the boy held her tight, spinning her around.

"You know how much I missed you?" Roland asked, stumbling and falling on the bed with her on top of him.

"No more than I did." Rose claimed. "How is your family? I don't see them for a while too."

"My mom is truly worried about Henry right now. My dad keeps trying to distract her, she doesn't like it and sometimes they argue very badly, but well, they also make amends very loudly what would be horrible for me if I didn't had powers to muffle that sounds." He complained with a disgusted face. "Veronica, however just thinks about buying new gowns. Pretty boring things."

Their families were very close. Rose had played with him ever since she was a small child and loved when his youngest sister Veronica, shortly called Ronnie, brought her dolls and they pretended to be princesses, while their parents talked about deals and spells.

"Normal days, I see." Rose smiled, rolling to her back. "My parents are at the Dark Realm, so Neal and his wife came to take care of us. They brought Lucy and that makes three kids fighting over toys."

"Difficult life." Roland chuckled, cupping her face and leaning to kiss her.

"Mm." She agreed against his lips.

Rose could remember their first kiss like it had happened yesterday, not when she was thirteen. It had been a clumsy, awkward thing a stolen peck of lips when they were visiting Henry's castle. Her whole face had gotten red and they didn't talk for days before Roland came to apologize and she said he didn't need to, because she in fact liked it. Their relationship started that day, even though it was very slow and innocent one, but it had become more accurate along the last year.

"If you married me, we could life in a castle of our own, with no noise family around." Roland proposed when they pulled away from each other.

A grimace took her face, because she hated when he brought that subject up without thinking that they were still just kids. "I like my family."

"Rose."

"Roland."

"I serious." He insisted.

"And I am sixteen." She said, sitting on the bed. "That's not going to happen."

"Henry married at age of eighteen."

"Because he was in love!"

"So, you are not in love with me?"

Rolling her eyes, she started to think that it was not her best idea to bring him there today, but she missed him like crazy. Roland was not just her boyfriend, but he was her best friend in the world, despite of course of Gideon that was her companion for all the good and bad times. She liked a lot of things about him, starting with his always joyful but serious mood, and the fact that he was the most handsome young man she set her eyes on, with that light brown hair and very dark eyes, that always seemed so gorgeous when he was concentrated in aiming a target with his bow and arrow.

That just didn't mean she needed to get married anytime soon.

"I am, but when I wed someone, I want to be sure of what I am doing. And everything I'm sure right now, is that I'm too young to think about getting a responsibility like this."

"Alright, I'm sorry, I won't push this anymore." He said, reaching for her hand and kissing the back of it. "You're important to me and I don't want to lose you."

"Thanks." Rose replied, bending so she could kiss him once more.

"So, when can I at least present myself to your parents as your suitor?"

"Roland, darling if you don't shut up, I'll slap you."

With this threat, he finally got quiet.


	4. Chapter 4

It took Rumple and Belle five exhaustive days to decide that there was definitely nothing helpful on the Dark Realm, so they should go home and see how they could work from there. Mr. Cogsworth helped carrying the chests with their belongings to the archive where the imp was going to open a portal to their land, while Agathe finished carefully packing some important parchments inside a wooden box.

"We will need to call the fairies and report that we haven't found any clue." Belle said, taking one last look around the place to assure that everything was just the way she wished.

Those had been awful days for her, worried thoughts keeping the lady up until late hours of the night, unable to sleep even with her husband's protective arms wrapped firmly around her waist as he breathed heavy in his sleep. She just kept her eyes closed and tried to remain as still as she could, not to wake him and disturb Rumplestiltskin with her extreme concern.

"I don't like that." He said.

"Yeah, I though you wouldn't," she said, letting a small smile pass through her lips, "but somebody is stealing from us and we need to do something."

"I'll open a portal directly to Regina's place." Rumple informed. "I want to know if she is aware of something strange happening around."

"Out of Henry's wife being kidnaped, the fairies' orders being stolen, Rose predicting the death of a king and… Should I go on?"

"No. That's enough." He rolled his eyes offering his arm for her to take as he got his mother's wand from inside his traveling cloak, opening the portal with a swift movement of his wrist. "There is definitely something bad happening."

Mr. Cogswoth pushed the chests through it and waved for them as his said king and queen walked on its direction to appear in the Sherwood Castle followed by their maid. They materialized in one of the large hallways where a boy was just coming from one of the many doors, he got startled at the sight of them, his face going a shade paler.

"Oh, hey, Mr. Rum - " he swallowed. "I mean, Dark One." Roland tried to fix it. "I mean, my lord."

Behind them, Agathe laughed.

The imp's eyebrows narrowed. "What the hell is wrong with you today, boy?"

"Nothing!" Roland hurried to say, his cheeks getting a little flushed. "Did you come to see my parents?"

A smile stretched in Belle's lips as she thought about Roland's reason to be blushing. Her daughter. His interest on Rose wasn't new for her, as she had always notice the subtle exchange of glances between them whenever they were around each other and she thought that it was really cute, because they were long-time friends and Roland was a really good boy.

"Aye." Rumplestiltskin answered.

"Alright," Regina's son said. "Follow me."

Gripping at her husband's arm, Belle started to walk while Roland lead their way through the corridors.

"He is acting weird." The imp whispered at her.

"You're the father of the girl he likes." Belle shrugged.

"What?" He asked a little too loudly.

Roland looked at them over his shoulder but the lady just waved a hand for him, assuring that they were fine, before rubbing her husband's arm with a laugh coming from her throat.

"We don't want to scare him, Rumple." She said in a whisper. "But everybody knows he likes Rose."

His eyes were wide and wild, glancing at Roland's back like his eyes could be shooting daggers at him. She couldn't believe that he had never noticed something happening between them, but he saw Rose as a helpless child and the fact that she constantly needed their comfort only collaborated to make it hard for him to understand that she was growing up.

"He can't be with my baby girl." Rumple said behind clenched teeth.

Belle raised an eyebrow. " _Sixteen-year-old baby girl?_ "

"I'll make sure that Regina and her thief keep him very far away from her."

She had always loved how overprotective her husband was with their children, but sometimes he just took it to an extreme level, he barely let those children breath without his consent and even though she knew that his concern, was due to everything they faced in the past, plus the fact that he had a lot of enemies that could want to hurt them, she still wanted them to enjoy their own lives.

"Stop it, now!" The lady reprimanded. "You _can't_ and you _won't_ interfere in her life."

He was about to give her an answer, when the boy in front of them suddenly stopped walking as they had reached the double-doors that lead to Regina's main hall.

"Milord, milady be welcome to Sherwood Castle." Roland said a little nervously, probably noticing Rumple's deadly gaze on him. "I shall leave you alone with my parents now."

"Wait." The imp stopped him with a hand on his arm and all the colour left Roland's face, before Rumple could point at the girl that was still quietly following them. "Take the maid with you."

"Alright." Roland nodded, visibly relieved. "Come on, Agathe."

Shooking her head, Belle looked at Rumple with disapproval in her eyes, because she knew that as much as he wanted to get rid of Agathe, he also wanted to scare the poor boy a bit. Apparently, the day Belle gave him a daughter he took the mission of keeping every single man away from her. Poor Colette didn't know what expected her when she reached her eldest sister's age.

The butlers opened the doors for them and the couple entered the hall, where Regina and Robin were having a tense conversation, both facing each other with serious expressions, but whatever they were discussing ended with their arrival as the former Evil Queen – who was now Queen of Sherwood – turned around to look at her guests, with a sarcastic smile growing slow in her lips.

"Why do I have the honour to receive the Dark One and the Dark Lady in my house?"

"Hello, Regina." Belle greeted hugging her and Robin while Rumple just kept watching in place, refusing to do the same. "It's good to see you."

"I could say the same, if I wasn't for the fact that you two, look like trouble. What is the matter?"

Robin raised an eyebrow for her, looking even more distressed. "Won't you even serve wine for them?"

"Do you want wine?" Regina asked, snorting.

"No, thank you." Belle replied.

"See." The Queen said, as if she was proving her point and wining a fight. "Let's get to the important things now."

Gesticulating to a couple of armchairs that were set near the fireplace, she invited them to take a seat as Rumplestiltskin started narrate the events that took them there, starting with Blue's report of an order that haven't been delivered to how everything seemed perfectly normal at the Dark Realm, even when it clearly wasn't. Belle had felt completely useless, making those infinite searches on the archive, in fail attempts of finding the tiniest clue to their ghostly dealer, but whoever he or she was, it was a very clever person that knew how to not leave any tracks behind.

Her fear of another evil being chasing her family like the Black Fairy did all those years ago, mixed with her anguish and frustration around herself for not being able to conceive another child, left Belle over the edge of misery and she just wanted to go home and be back to her routine, so she would have something to fill her thoughts. Stay there facing Regina and Robin's tormented faces wasn't helping in getting her to feel better, because she knew that they had their own problems and were also going through a hard moment with the disappearance of Henry's wife and now his constant absence as he searched for her.

"So, you're telling me that someone is stealing from you?" The dark-haired woman indagated with a laugh. "That's impressive."

"That sounds like a threat, don't you think?" Rumplestiltskin replied, still impassive.

"Yeah, I do."

The doors opened again and a young lady with dark eyes and an even darker hair passed through them, her red gown making her look older than she was, as she walked towards her parents.

"Mom, Roland said we had guests." Veronica said before her glance fell to the couple sat right in front of Regina and Robin. "Oh, hey, aunt Belle! Hey, Mr. Rum."

A frown took the imp's face. He always disliked that silly nickname the children had for him, since when they were younger they couldn't manage to speak his whole name. "Mr. Rum, doesn't really fits me, dearie."

"Sorry." Ronnie muttered, pointing back at the doors. "I'll join Roland upstairs."

"Go on, darling." Robin said, kissing the top of her head and then, letting the girl take her way out of the hall.

What a funny thing to think, that Belle had been the one to introduce the thief, to the woman who was now his wife and the mother of his children. If Regina never asked for shelter at the Dark Castle on that particular bad night, she might have never ended there.

"So, what exactly do you expect me to do?" The Queen asked.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. "Just keep an eye on things and inform me if you see something out of the normal."

"We don't even know what is normal anymore, mate." Robin chuckled.

"You understood me." The imp rolled his eyes, standing up and holding out a hand for Belle to take and stand too. "Now I think it's time to go."

Regina's eyebrow lifted up with surprise, because Rumple liked to bother her as much as she bothered him with her visits and sometimes he would just appear there with his whole family and claim some of her chambers as theirs, saying that the children needed playmates and they were staying for a couple of days.

"So quickly?" She questioned.

"We are tired." Belle explained. "There were rough days on the Dark Realm."

"Well, I hope you make a good trip." The Queen answered with a soft smile.

But before Belle could think about thanking her, they materialized on the entryway of their own castle with Agathe and their baggage right before them. A frown formed on the lady's face.

"Do you know the meaning of _trip_?"

"Oh, don't pretend that you're not just as relieved as I am to be home." Rumplestiltskin teased.

Well, as much as she hated when he transported them around the realm with magic, she had to admit that she was really glad to be there too and curling on her bed seemed to be a really tempting thing to do right now. Maybe here, on her own home, she could get to rest a little bit.

"Actually, I feel like I could sleep for a whole eternity."

And she would, if she had the chance, but those things got to second place ever since she became a mother, because Colette came running from the hallway that lead to the left tower, and threw her arms around Belle, jumping to be caught from the floor.

"Mama, you're back!" She said, happily.

"No sleep for now, sweetheart." Rumple whispered at her, a grin passing through his lips as he reached to get their daughter from the mother's arms.

"Hey, little girl, did you miss me?"

"A lot!" Colette replied. "Rosie played dolls with me and Lucy."

"That's great, sweetie." Belle answered, smoothing her curled brown hair.

The tall figure that was their butler, came from the same place their daughter had, probably looking for her, since somebody was already trying to keep the children on their sights around there. A shame that Chip and Colette were always too fast for most of them.

"Master, milady, you're back!"

"Say another obvious thing, Mr. Dove." Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. "I hope it won't take longer until dinner. I'm hungry."

"You are sounding very bitter lately."

He shrugged. "I have reasons to."

Colette's fingers played with the stripes of his hair as a strange look filled Agathe's face while she watched them, Belle never saw it there before, but it almost resembled hate, what she thought to be strange, since they were always friendly to her, nothing else – at least, not her and the children, Rumple might be a little cruel with his words sometimes, but he never did anything to really bother her. The lady, however didn't give much attention to that, as Agathe disappeared in the hallway that led to the dungeons.

"Papa, can you spin with me?"

"Yeah, let's go, Lette."

Belle watched them leave with Mr. Dove following father and daughter, but all she could do was stand still at the entryway, her traveling cloak still heavy and warm around her shoulders, the black gloves still covering her cold hands.

"Milady."

Turning around, she saw her most beloved maid and opened her arms, asking for the maternal hug, only her and Belle's deceased mother could ever give.

"Oh, Mrs. Potts I've missed you and I'm really in need to cry on your shoulder right now."

"Come on," the redhead chubby woman said. "We can talk while I cook."

* * *

"Papa! I'm so glad that you're back!"

Rumple was spinning with Colette sat on his lap, her little hands running through the wheel as he turned the straw into gold for her entertainment, those bright blue eyes she had inherit from her mother shinning with the excitement of seeing the magic happening right in front of her eyes. Nobody was around, even though he could say that his family was spread around the big castle, too busy with their own matters to notice that the master and lady of this house had come back, but Rose sensitive as she was, appeared just some moments after he sat by the wheel with her youngest sister.

The girl had a giant smile on her face as she bent, to press a kiss on his cheek before taking a seat by his side, leaning her head on his shoulder as he kept spinning.

"How are your visions, Rosebud?" He asked full of concern. "Are they bothering you a lot?"

She denied with a wave of her head. "I only had one dream since you left and it was the very same from the last time. A King in his bed, dying while I sit there by his side and he looks at me with rage." Inhaling deeply, Rose stared transfixed at the windows, like she was lost on the maze of her own mind. "I can't see his face yet."

"Oh, sweetheart!" Rumplestiltskin mumbled, stopping his work to turn at her, one of his hands coming up to stroke her cheek.

"Maybe he is a bad King, Rosie." Colette pondered. "So, his death won't be that horrible."

Rose's lips tightened in a thin line under her little sister's watch. She worried a lot about the people who she dreamed of, because even when she had no idea of who they were, she still felt pity for them. Having tragic fates traced, was awful thing and she felt really bad for being the one to see it all, but there was one thing that had been truly disturbing her this time: Rose was in that place, for some reason, she was with the king while he died.

"I don't understand why I am there with him." She told her father.

That didn't make any sense for Rumplestiltskin, but he knew that the details of her visions were generally blurry and confusing, so it was provable that it wasn't exactly what was happening.

"Maybe you're not," he said in an attempt to give her some comfort. "Maybe in your dreams you're just in another person's place."

"I hope so." Rose shrunk, then looked around. "Where is mama?"

"Probably gossiping with the maids."

Raising just eyebrow his daughter gave him a mistrustful glance. "She is not the kind of lady who does gossips."

Clever girl, that one, he thought to himself. Rumple didn't want to tell her that Belle wasn't exactly fine since they arrived the Dark Realm, too worried with everything, but the last five days had already been troubled for the couple, and he didn't need his children to get concerned about all those problems with them.

"That's just a way of saying that she needed somebody to talk about life."

"She could have talked to me."

"I don't think so, darling." He said with a small laugh. "Not everything you can share with a child."

Thinking that he might be talking about husband and wife matters Rose shooked her head, immediately backing away from wanting to talk with her mother, because this wasn't a thing she was willing to hear about.

"Alright, I understood, we should change the subject."

However, they didn't have the time, because Gideon, Chip, Neal and Emma came from the tower that led to the library, distracted while talking to each other, until they laid eyes on the imp.

"Your little snake!" Gideon pointed at Rose. "They came back and you didn't even tell us."

Placing Colette on the floor, the imp stood up to hug his sons. "How are you, my boys?"

"Pretty good." Neal answered with a side-smile. "They didn't disobey me if that's what you want to know."

Both Gideon and Rose laughed, exchanging a glance that only the two of them knew what meant. Belle opened the kitchen's door, getting out of there to see the family reunion that was happening in the dining hall.

"Hey!" She said, looking at the ones she hasn't had the chance to meet yet. "I'll change before dinner."

"Are you alright, mother?" Gideon answered intercepting her way to the staircase, his thumb stroking her temples. "You look downcast."

"I'm fine." Belle guaranteed with a smile, before pulling away from him to walk towards her chambers.

Rose narrowed her eyes, taking this attitude as an evidence that something was wrong, so she followed her mother through the corridors walking fast to reach Belle before she locked the door of her chambers.

"You lie as bad as me." Rose said, leaning against the doorframe to prevent her from closing it. "What is happening, mama?"

Belle made an inviting gesture to Rose to get inside the room. "There is a lot in my mind, sweetie, just that."

"I don't believe you."

"It's the truth." Belle insisted, entering the closet to take one of her gowns from there.

Back when Rose was a child, her best memories came from sneaking inside her parents' chambers to take a look at her mother's gorgeous clothes and shoes. She used to walk around the closet, when no one was seeing and take the dresses, trying to fit them in herself as much as she was definitely too little for that. Belle found her there, a lot of times and she never reprehended the girl, only laughed, with a lovely look on her face.

"Well, then you shouldn't let problems take the best of you." Rose advised, taking a seat in one of the armchairs.

Lost in thoughts, Belle stopped behind her, pulling her hair up and down in different forma with a nostalgic sigh. "I used to think that I was playing dolls with you in the past. Dressing, hair-styling, just like a child with a new toy. And now you look all grown and gorgeous."

The tone in her voice was sorrowful and made Rose feel worried again. Belle was a joy person and if there was something great enough to make her sound so sore, then it was definitely bad and worth attention.

"Tell me what is the matter." She insisted.

"You have a lot to worry alone, Rosie." Belle said. "I won't take my problems to you."

Remembering about her brief conversation with her father earlier, Rose tried to think about something her mother wouldn't like to discuss with her, but she only found one subject and as much as she didn't like the idea of talking about her parents' relationship, she would anything if it would make her mother feel better.

"Is it anything between you and papa?"

"No! We are fine." Belle assured. "The matter is a darkness different from the one I love."

"And we should get concerned about it?" Rose asked, biting at her lip.

"I don't know."

* * *

In the next morning, Rose woke up from one of those incredible good nights of sleep, totally out of any kind of dreams. Rested and happy, she dressed herself seeing that the snow outside was starting to melt, it was a beautiful sign that the winter was getting to an ending. She went downstairs, the amazing smell of bread being baked coming from the kitchen in the still silent castle, she was driven there by this, hoping to get something of the breakfast before the maids put everything on the table.

Opening the door with magic, as it was weirdly locked with a spell, the girl jumped at the sight of Gideon almost smashing Roderick against the counter as the two of them kissed roughly, hands traveling around each other's body and hair.

"Dear gods, put a sign on the door next time!" Rose exclaimed, making them pull away with red faces.

"The door is locked for a reason, sister." Gideon answered, impassively.

"This is the kitchen, Gideon, not your room, anyone can enter here. It could have been father and if it was you would have a lot to explain."

Now, he had admit that she was right, Gideon couldn't even imagine how bad it would have been if Rumplestiltskin entered there while he kissed his boyfriend. There was a reason why he was keeping this secret from his parents for so long and it was his fear of what their reaction might be, as they expected Gideon to get married to a highborn lady and give them lots of grandchildren, just like any parents would expect their son to do. Crashing their dreams was something he wasn't willing to make so soon, even though he knew that his mother had no problem with people's choice of lovers, since her friend Ruby lived with another lady and Belle herself had broken all the rules when she fell for his father, a man that was considered a monster all around the realms.

That just didn't stop him from feeling afraid when it come of himself.

"Sorry for that, little beauty." Roderick said, before pointing at the provisions Gideon had taken for him when the maids left the kitchen to start cleaning the castle's many rooms before serving the breakfast. "We just came here to pick some food, actually."

"Yeah, and you easily get distracted." Rose rolled her eyes.

Grabbing basket that contained the food, Gideon pushed it to Roderick's arms.

"Here, take it, Rod. The winter won't last but your family needs to eat."

"Thank you, Gid." He smiled, brushing his lips against the other boy's.

Roderick had just pulled away when the door was opened by Mrs. Potts, who was gladly too busy looking down at the duster in her hands to notice the closeness between the boys.

"Agathe have you - " she started, lifting her eyes to the three of them, looking at Roderick completely puzzled. "Who are you?"

"Mrs. Potts!" Gideon almost choked with his own words, without knowing what to do or what to say.

"I am - " Roderick swallowed. "I - "

"He is my boyfriend." Rose said holding the dark-haired boy's hand on hers.

"Your what?" Mrs. Potts and Gideon questioned at the same time.

"My boyfriend, Roderick. Please, please Mrs. Potts, don't tell my parents about that just now, I want to properly introduce him, but not just yet." Rose explained. "He is going home now."

The frown on the chubby woman's face told them that telling their parents about the visitor was exactly what she wanted to do in that moment. "He better be."

Waving her hand, Rose made Roderick disappear in a golden cloud of smoke as Gideon rushed to the dining hall, not wanting the maid to question him about anything or he might end up telling her his secret.

"Liar!" Mrs. Potts accused, pointing a finger at Rose.

"I'm not a liar, why would I be?"

"Your cheeks are red. You're lying, and I will find out what about!"

Rose shooked her head, walking out of the kitchen before she could say another obvious lie in an attempt to help her brother. Her family was already waiting for the breakfast at the dining table, except for Belle that was getting a letter from a bird and opening it to read.

"Look at this!" She said, much more cheerfully than she had been last night. "Prince Neal is inviting the two of you to his birthday party!"

"Prince Neal?" Gideon laughed. "No, thank you."

"You were friends!" Belle protested.

"When he was a cool kid, not a smug idiot."

She didn't agree with her brother completely in that matter. Yes, maybe Neal was really smug, but he was a royal and those things affected the way that he chose to act, but he wasn't an idiot all the time, with Rose he was a decent young man.

"Well, you are going, he is the brother of your sister-in-law." Their father said, what really surprised her, because he wasn't exactly a fan of those events. "And you can use the occasion to try to find a lady you like. Chose anyone you want, I'll make sure I'll offer her a deal she can't deny."

There it was, Rose thought, he had an interest in sending his children there. Poor Gideon, her excuse for Mrs. Potts wasn't going to last that much if he wanted to remain a single man, free to meet his beloved Roderick whenever he wanted.

"Father, I don't want to get married, and are you really suggesting that I would need a deal to do so?" Gideon pretended to be offended.

"No, I was simply easing your life."

"Really helpful." The boy mumbled, folding his arms against his chest. "I don't want to go."

"You will and you'll take care of your sister. She only dances with you and the ones you allow her to."

"This must be a joke!" Rose exclaimed. "Papa, I'm not a child."

"Yeah, Rumple, you're overreacting. She can dance with whoever she wants." Belle said. "And Gideon can keep an eye on the girls without you interfering on that."

By her side, her brother snorted. "Nightmare."

"Oh, no I know what a nightmare is and this brother, looks worse for both of us."

But, whatever the stupid birthday of Prince Neal could bring, it seemed that neither of them could get rid of it.


	5. Chapter 5

The carriage went slowly through the roads of the Enchanted Forest, Mr. Dove sat outside, guiding the horses while brother and sister talked inside, occasionally looking at the landscape that was starting to get green away. All the snow had melt in the last few weeks, bringing sunnier and warm days, for the joy of people all around the realm, that were suffering with the bad weather.

"This is insane, you know?" Rose complained, not happy to leave her parents behind at the Dark Castle when bad things were clearly happening and they didn't want to speak openly about any of that. "Why would anyone have a party at times like this? I mean, his nephew's wife is missing."

Gideon shrugged as moody as her. "It's his birthday and he is royal."

"Great justification." She mumbled, before letting a smirk pass through her lips as she glanced at her brother. "Don't forget to look out for a lady."

"Hilarious, Rosebud." Gideon rolled his eyes. "Simply hilarious."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin was standing in front of his small cauldron, analysing the ingredients carefully before dropping them inside and letting a deep smoke raise from there. A widow with two children that had a terrible flu remaining from those cruelly winter days, summoned him earlier and he was preparing the medicine that should heal them and the imp was going to leave just after dinner to make that deal with her. He just didn't know yet what he was going to ask in exchange for that, since the woman was very poor and had nothing to offer, but was confident that he could think about something before meeting her.

Peppering some herbs in the potion, Rumple mixed it with a spoon, hearing the muffled sound of the laboratory's door opening behind him, expectant to see his wife and feel her arms enlacing his waist, but when he looked over his shoulder it was Agathe who came in, a tray in her hands. She smiled at him and placed it in one of the tables, serving some tea in his chipped cup, offering it to him.

"Here we go master." Agathe said proudly, like making tea was something difficult and that not everyone was capable of. "It seems you are doing some interesting potions. What are those for?"

"Not from your concern, dearie." Rumplestiltskin answered, finishing his potion and turning off the fire, before taking a sip of his tea while she watched him with wide grey eyes. "Where is your lady Belle?"

At the mention of her name, Agathe's face scowled a little. He was completely aware of how much she seemed bothered with anything that had to do with Belle and that was particularly annoying him, because he wanted his wife to be treated the way she deserved. So as long as the maid's apparent jealous of Belle remained, he was going to push it on her, mentioning his wife the most he could.

"Downstairs doing some work." Agathe babbled, twisting her apron in her hands.

Drinking the rest of the tea, he placed the cup back on the tray. "She is making researches again?"

"Oh, no, she was actually helping Mrs. Potts with the cleaning."

His jaw dropped. He gave her a library, told her she could write for anyone she wanted, bring her stupid friends to the castle or even go pay a visit to them, but she was doing the maid's work. When she was the maid, she let the dust accumulate on the furniture, because she was too busy reading and now that she was the lady of this castle, she wanted to clean. It was unbelievable.

"Get out of my way." The imp shout at Agathe, who was still standing in front of him, staring like a fool.

He went downstairs as fast as he could, finding Belle sweeping the floor and humming a song, what almost took him all his will to reprehend her for doing the maid's work, because for the first time in weeks she looked relaxed, like for that moment only, she wasn't thinking about the things that had been bothering her recently, and gods knew that he wanted to keep her so lightly like this forever. That scene could have happened years ago, she would be too bubbly and he would be too beastly, because he didn't want to admit to himself that he was falling for her and everything she did just turned him on.

Silly days were those, but they led them to what they had now and Rumple cherished every single memory he had from their life together. Smirking, he walked silently towards her, his hands joined behind his back as he approached his face to his wife's ear.

"What are you doing?" He asked, causing her to jump.

She sucked a breath, slowly turning around to face him. "Sweeping the hall, isn't that obvious?"

"Belle, we have maids for a reason."

Clicking his fingers together, he made the broom disappear from her hands, leaving his wife to face the blank space it left.

"Hey!" Belle protested, angrily.

Rumplestiltskin, however didn't pay much attention to that, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her closer, as Belle fold her arms around his neck, looking directly at his eyes with her gorgeous blue one's.

"You could use your time doing something better than that." He suggested.

"Like what?"

"Warm your husband's bed." Rumple said, lowering his face so he could nibble at her earlobe, teasing her and making her shiver in his arms. "The children are playing in the gardens and there is no reason why we cannot enjoy ourselves a little."

His lips came to hers and Belle closed her eyes, sinking into the wonderful taste of his tongue working against hers, but she couldn't help feeling a little tense, because as much as she was trying too hard to distract herself from her own thoughts, they didn't stop coming to surface every single time she tried to be a little bit happy. Pulling away, the lady got a frustrated sound from her husband.

"Do you think Gideon and Rose will be fine at this party?" Belle asked, stroking his neck. "I'm having a bad feeling about that."

"Why wouldn't they?" He replied, a confused expression crossing his face. "Snow White's castle is very well protected."

Shrugging, she answered: "I don't know."

She had been excited with the party when the invitation came, because it was a chance for her children to socialize and have some fun, but ever since she saw the carriage leaving their castle, Belle's heart seemed to get heavier, a constant fear, maybe a motherly intuition telling her, that something was going to went wrong. Of course, that just like Rumple, Belle knew that Snow's place was safe and Baelfire would be there for the party, so he would keep an eye on his siblings too, but that awkward sensation didn't leave her.

She was barely paying attention at her husband's ministrations, as he continued to pull her closer, until the moment he sucked at the sensible spot on her neck and made her moan, gripping at his hair.

"Belle - " he whispered in a husky voice. "Let's go to our chambers, please. I need to leave for a deal later and I don't want to waste time."

Gods, she hadn't noticed how needy she was. The last few weeks, Belle tried to keep some distance between them, not wanting to give Rumple any hope that she would get with child after any coupling, so she just avoided letting him touch her, what seemed to be a terrible unthinkable mistake now. She missed him, wanted him and she didn't care about getting a baby anymore, because she had been letting it consume her and it was certainly not good.

He sucked that point again and Belle's eyes rolled back, her hands clutching at him desperately. "We should send someone to watch for the children then."

"Yeah, we should." Rumplestiltskin agreed.

"Master - " they heard somebody said behind them.

When she looked at the direction of the voice, Belle realised that it was Agathe, who was staring at them with red cheeks and narrowed eyes. That maid seemed to have a perfect timing to catch them this way.

"Good that you're there, Agathe. Go watch for the children in the gardens." Rumple demanded. "We'll need at least an hour, so distract them."

Waving a hand, the imp made them appear in their chambers, already attacking her bodice to get it open, his fingers getting clumsy as he struggled to undo the laces, making her laugh, her finger tips tracing the exposed skin of his chest from the gap of his leather waistcoat.

"You're cruel with that girl." Belle said still laughing, knowing that the poor Agathe should be his jaw-dropped at the dining hall.

"I'm not found of her." Rumple answered, finally getting to full open the bodice and lowering it to expose her breasts to him, his eyes darkening at the sight and his hands coming up to cup them. "But, oh darling, I'm found of you."

Her thighs started to feel wet with his touches, the thick skin of his hands rubbing at her body in a way that could drive her crazy as he left her breasts to take the dress of her, leaving Belle bare, except for her undergarments, that didn't linger to join the gown on the floor. He laid her on the bed, covering her body with his, still fully dressed in all that leather that was seeming too uncomfortable for him in that moment, since his cock was painfully trapped inside there, hard and longing to be inside her.

Belle touched his face as he traced her curves with the tip of his fingers, a smile forming on her pinkish lips, because she was glad to find the same adoration in his eyes she had found on their very first night together. Maybe more mature now, but not less full of passion.

"How can you still look at me like it was the very first time even after all these years?"

"It's love that leads the way here, sweetheart." The imp said, brushing his lips against hers. "Never forget that."

Parting her legs, he sank slid a finger between her folds, being soaked with her fluids, founding himself unable to not groan at the feeling. "Oh, fuck, you're so wet."

"Rumple - " she breathed, writhing beneath him.

He knew her body so well, that he was already rubbing her just on the right spot, causing burning waves of pleasure make her sensible bundle of nerves start to ache in a delicious way. The strokes of his thumb got her legs trembling around his waist and the slid of his index and middle finger inside her made Belle let out a delighted cry. There was nothing in this world that Rumplestiltskin loved more than to see his wife that way, knowing that he was the only one causing all those incredible reactions on her as he watched Belle moan and rock her hips against his hand, lost in her inter monologue. Pressing harder against her skin to see her back arch from the mattress, Rumple knew that he could cum at that vision if he wanted to, his member was twitching inside his trousers and he almost begging for a touch, but not before he saw his darling Belle breaking apart for him.

She got tighter around his fingers, nearing her peak and Rumple took them off, lowering himself to set his face between her thighs, starting to lap at her and earning a desperate sound of her.

"Yes!" Belle cried. "So good."

His teeth scratched her skin and his mouth was bathed with her juices, her body shaking as her moans filled the room and he licked every drop of her. Belle's head was spinning, she felt languid and weightless, so it took her a long moment to sat on the bed, eager to start undressing her husband, but Rumple was already doing the work, taking of his boots and socks and leaving them aside, before start to open his waistcoat. Belle helped him to pull it off and lifted his shirt, taking it too, pressing their bodies together in a tight hug as she kissed him, the flavour of her arousal all over his mouth.

Snapping his fingers, Rumple made the rest of his clothes disappear and leaned Belle against the mattress again, only letting her settle on the middle of it before flipping her, so she was sat on his lap. The lady palmed her hands on his chest, tracing his skin with no hurry, smirking when his eyes closed as her nails brushed his nipples, the grip of his hands on her legs tightening. She leaded her own hands down, until she found his rigid hot member, stroking him gently to hear him groan as she lifted herself and lead his tip to her entrance, lining them up and then sinking him into her, letting a gasp leave her mouth when she felt wonderfully complete, filled by him this way.

"Oh, Belle!" Rumplestiltskin whimpered. "So perfect around me. So damn tight."

At that instant, she was very conscious of every inch of him touching every inch of her, and the way he moved to reach her breast with his mouth created a friction she couldn't ignore. It sent her back on the way to paradise and she twined her hands on his hair as he sucked her at her nipple, biting it when she started to move up and down on his length.

His hands travelled desperately through her body, gripping at every spot he could reach. Rumple couldn't keep himself still, because the way her walls lugged against his flesh left an incredible sensation of flames igniting his climax, and he clenched his teeth, trying to keep himself from orgasming too soon, because he wanted to last until she came again. That just wasn't easy when he had Belle's lips close to his ear, her low sounds of pleasure driving him crazy as her nails scratched his back.

"Is that good for you, sweetheart?" He asked, his breath coming in pants.

"Yes." Belle moaned. "The sensation it's so strong. I need release."

Rumplestiltskin was about to lead his finger between them to help her, but Belle did that herself and all he could do was to lean against the pillows, grasping her waist as he lost it to the vision of his wife touching herself. Belle's threw her head back letting out a loud nonsense sound leave her as she came, squeezing his cock as she tightened even more. The imp sank onto her heat, groaning and breathing in relief when he felt the warm squirt of seed leaving him, to hopefully fill her womb.

Belle fell against his chest, closing her eyes and smiling. "That was amazing."

"Remarkably amazing." He agreed, still trapped flaccid inside her. "It's so easy to forget the world with you in my arms, that I could to it each five minutes."

"You dream." Belle laughed. "I need to repass the reading lessons with Colette and check if Chip is working well with the maths. All of it before the diner."

"And I thought things would be less complicate for you while Gideon and Rose are traveling."

Sliding him out and rolling to her side, the lady laid her head on his shoulder, staring at Rumple like she was trying to memorize every detail of his face. She didn't feel so good much often, and since today was an exception she was going to enjoy her time just cuddling with him like this.

"It never is."

* * *

Agathe sat at the stool near the trees watching Chip chase after Colette with tears falling down her eyes. She was so angry that everything she could think about was finding a way to separate Belle from Rumplestiltskin. There must be something that could do the work, she just had to look at the right place.

"Why are you crying?" Mrs. Potts voice asked as she walked towards the girl.

Lifting her head, the maid wiped her tears, cursing herself for letting the older woman see her crying. Mrs. Potts was a constant problem in her life, always getting it the way between her and what she so wanted, that stupid redhead thought that just because she lived there ever since Gideon was born, she needed to protect them somehow. And she liked milady Belle too much, what was another hindrance, that only got things even worse.

"It's nothing."

"Nothing? Nobody cries for nothing, dear." The chubby woman said, narrowing her eyes. "Speak."

It wasn't good, she shouldn't talk about it, but everything she would get by keeping quiet would be a slap. Not that she felt hurt when Mrs. Potts reprehended her, because she had been Fiona's maid and there was nothing that could compare to the fairy's tortures. And she had let her interest for Rumplestiltskin very clear to her, so there wasn't really a reason to hide it from her.

"He took her to the bedroom." Agathe told the maid.

"What?" Mrs. Potts questioned, slightly confused.

" _Master_. He took milady Belle to their chambers and he had that look on his face that let it very clear what he was intending to do to her."

A sob escaped her throat. She hated her lady at that moment, because she wished it was her receiving the imp's attention being adored by him inside those chambers. Maybe her attraction to him was insane, but she couldn't help herself, she always found him so interesting and handsome.

"Agathe, I'll tell you this one last time, they are married and master is never going to look at you the way he looks at his lady." Mrs. Potts bounced. "I'm sorry, but you're nothing for him and you'll never be."

Anger made her blood boil in her veins. She would show that stupid maid how wrong she was and when Mrs. Potts was serving her and calling her milady then she would laugh, because she would be the only woman for the Dark One and he would even kill that maid, if she wanted to.

"Perhaps I just need the right potion or spell." Agathe pondered.

"Stop it girl!" Mrs. Potts yelled making Chip and Colette stop their game for just a moment, looking at the maids to see what was happening, but the chubby one waved a hand for them, silently telling the siblings to continue playing. When she was sure that they weren't looking at them anymore, Mrs. Potts grabbed Agathe's shoulders, looking into her grey eyes. "Listen to me. Milady Belle is trying to get another child right now and if you interfere on something I will make my threats real."

Agathe's heart skipped a bit, as new fear settled coldly on her heart. Rumplestiltskin always looked bewitched by his wife, but she had seen how he acted around her when she was expecting a child and if that happened he would never at look her, everything he was going to see is Belle carrying a new baby for him.

"She can't get with child. If she does everything will be ruined."

"There is nothing to be ruined." Mrs. Potts remembered, pulling away from her. "You've been warned."

The youngest maid's eyes flew to the window of her master's chambers, knowing that at this moment he could be planting his seed inside that whining princess. New tears rolled down her cheeks and she tried to calm herself, but Agathe was too sad for that.

"Chip! Colette! Let's get inside, it is time for you two to take a bath." Mrs. Potts called, holding her hands up for the children to take and glancing at Agathe one last time, before entering the castle, to utter: "The dungeons need to be cleaned."

* * *

When the carriage arrived Snow White's castle the Queen was already waiting for them outside, alongside with the King and the Prince. Neal was very alike his father, with the same blonde hair, blue eyes and good features, he was dressed in a grey and black outfit, with a smirk playing in his lips as he saw Mr. Dove open the carriage's door and help Rose to get out of it, before her brother followed her.

"Gideon. Rose." Snow greeted them. "It is very nice to have you as our guests."

"Thank you for the invitation, Queen Snow." Gideon replied. "It is our pleasure to be here."

Rose wanted to pretend not to notice the fake smile on the Queen's face, because she knew that the royals weren't very fond of her family - specially of her father - but her mother had always insisted that they should be nice with everyone and they were somehow related, since Emma was married to her oldest brother, Baelfire. She didn't know whose idea it had been to invite them, if it was Neal's or Emma's or if the Queen just invite them by herself because she thought it was her duty to do so, but she was going to fiercely ignore the looks of fear that people shoot at her during the time she stayed there.

"You look lovely, Rose." The Prince said, taking her hand to kiss the back of it and earning furious glances from his parents.

"Oh, thank you, Neal." She answered, flattered and smiled at the Queen lifting her chin, just like her father taught her to do. "Roland and Veronica are already here?"

"Yes, they arrived this morning." It was King David who said, gesticulating to a pair of women that were standing behind them in a morbidy silence. "My maids will show you your chambers and then they can lead you to them."

"That would be great." She thanked, making a curtsy to them, just as did her brother. "See you tonight."

Gideon offered her his arm to take and they let the maids show them their way inside, but just after some steps, Neal followed them, running to reach the siblings.

"I'll accompany you." He said, offering his own arm to Rose and she couldn't do anything but to leave Gideon and attend the Princes' request. "You grew in beauty every time we see each other."

"And you are making me blush." Rose replied, looking down at the floor, feeling her cheeks burn in colour. "Excited for your birthday party?"

"A little bit, but I would be more if you promised me a dance."

Nodding, Rose agreed. "That you might get, then."

"I'll wait impatiently." Neal said with a smile kissing her hand again, before leaving them alone to go to the gardens.

Raising an eyebrow Gideon fixed his glance on her, the maids waiting for them to start walking again with impatient looks on their faces.

"Is it me or Neal is trying to court you?"

Rose laughed. "He is not."

"Believe me, sister, he is." Gideon bounced.

Her eyes got wide and she repassed their brief conversation in her mind. He had praised her, kissed her hand, asked her for a dance and... Gods, he was courting her. Was that what this invitation was about? Would he ask for her hand like Roland tried to do a lot of times? Damn it, what a about her boyfriend?

"Oh, no. He can't - " Rose started desperately clutching at Gideon's arm. "Roland - "

"Look who is desperate now." Her brother mocked.

"He is my nephew's uncle!" She protested. "This is so weird."

Shrugging Gideon started to walk again. "You're not bloodily related."

"It doesn't matter, I already have a suitor."

"I thought you were denying it."

And she was and would be until she felt really prepared to be in a real relationship that would lead her to the future people expected her to have, but if Neal made the stupid mistake of really courting her, she would have to excuse herself. But how she could deny a Prince without being hated by everyone related with him? She would have to assume her relationship with Roland, otherwise she would end up stuck with Neal.

"Damn it." Rose mumbled. "What am I going to do?"

"I don't know I just know that I invited Roderick to sneak inside the party tonight and I am having my fun."

"Selfish."

"You love me." Gideon replied, confident.

And she had to admit, her love for him was bigger than the whole wide world, but she wouldn't say just that, so Rose smiled, saying: "More than most people."

* * *

The market was full of people negotiating the prices of all sort of food and objects, desperate to get the best things they could, since most fruits and vegetables looked horrible, but Agathe was only there for the straw. Usually Belle and Rumple went into quick trips to buy everything they needed, but the imp had left for a deal the night before, so the lady wasn't willing to leave her children alone in the castle only with the maids, and sent her there to collect her husband's most appreciated distraction, so he would be happy when he came back.

Her pale face was covered by the hood of her cloak, but Agathe knew that she looked tense in every movement she did. The things Mrs. Potts had told her in the garden, still stuck in her head, making her depressed.

"Bad day?" A woman asked by her side.

"I wish." The maid laughed without sign of humour. "I think I'm having a whole bad year from now on."

When Agathe looked up to her she saw that the woman seemed to be really older than her, maybe around her fifty year of life, chesnut strands of hair falling around her shoulders, a black cape covering the also black gown almost completely.

"And why that?" She asked.

"The man I love is with someone else." Agathe explained.

A smirk lifted just one of the sides of her mouth. "You know, magic can help you with that."

"But the woman he is with, is trying to have a baby." The maid's voice reflected how miserable she was feeling, her finger tracing the handle of her basket, nervously. "If she gets with child once more, not even all the magic in this world will be able to help me."

"Not if you have the right potion. Come with me, dear." The woman said grabbing her by the arm and leading her out of the road of the market to start to walk between the commoners' houses until they found the one she was looking for and enter it, closing the door behind them. She lighted a candle while she asked: "So, what is your name?"

"Agathe."

"I'm Lady Heart, the most powerful witch around this village."

"It is very nice to meet you."

Lady Heart kept smiling wickedly, as she walked around the small wooden house, opening drawers and cabinets until she took two different coloured small bottles and placed one in the maid's hand.

"Well, this here Agathe is a lust potion, mix in his tea and he won't think twice before getting to your bed. And this one will solve the problem if the woman you talked about gets with child." She explained, giving her the second bottle. "One dose and there will be no baby on the way anymore."

"I - " Agathe swallowed, happy to have a solution for her problems in her hands but worried about what it might cost her. "I have no much gold to pay you for it."

"I don't want gold from you, I want something more precious. Information."

Her eyebrows narrowed in confusion. "About what?"

"About Rumplestiltskin, of course, or did you think I'm helping you because you look sad?" Lady Heart laughed. "No, dear, I'm helping you because you're his maid and I want the same you do. End the Dark Lady's life."

Mouth falling open, Agathe had no idea of what to say for a long moment. She hadn't thought about death until now, as much as she thought lady to simply disappear and leave the way free open for her, however if that was the price to pay to have the Dark One for her, then she was starting to think that she would gladly do it.

"But why?" She wanted to know.

Lips tightening in a line, Lady Heart sent her a dangerous glance. "This is not from your concern." She said, stretching her hand to get the bottles back from the maid, but Agathe pulled away. "Will you make this deal or not?"

"When milady Belle is dead will I be able to be with him without interference?" Agathe asked.

"Yes."

Alright, she thought, she could Live very well in a world where Belle didn't existed anymore and whatever were Lady Heart's motives to kill her, she bet they were good. Maybe the former princess had done something terrible for her in the past and deserved it. However, another thing came to her mind and she hesitated for just one moment more.

"And what about his children, will them be safe?"

"I can't guarantee that, but once you're with him, you can give him your own babies." Lady Heart answered clearly not giving a damn about what was going to happen to any of them. "He won't even remember about those children anymore."

 _Magic comes with a price_ , Rumplestiltskin's voice echoed in her head, but Agathe couldn't find the strength or the inside her to refuse what was being given to her so easily.

"Right. I think we have a deal."

"Perfect."


	6. Chapter 6

Agathe's eyes were lost on the beautiful landscape that you can see through the large windows of the library as she brushed Colette's hair. Lady Belle was sat on the other end of the place, trying to teach Chip how to make some maths he was struggling to understand, her voice reaching them in a soft motherly tone that was getting the maid more and more angered at each second. She had been fighting with herself not to cry ever since Mrs. Potts entered the kitchen before the breakfast, saying that their lady was feeling ill and shouldn't be distressed.

The maid wasn't a fool, she knew what a morning sickness were and what it meant, so if that was the illness Mrs. Potts was talking about, she would have to use the potions Lady Heart had given to her and she wasn't sure if she really wanted to. Agathe was desperate, but yet she wasn't willing to kill a child to get what she wanted.

"You're hurting me." Colette said with a groan of pain.

"What?" She asked, blinking at the five-year-old girl, who was staring at her like she was the greatest idiot she had ever seen in her life, looking a lot like her father doing it.

"You're hurting me with the hairbrush." The girl bounced. "My head is aching."

Belle lifted her head, looking up at them when her daughter's complaining reached her, she dropped the feather she was using to write inside the little bowl of ink and stood up, walking towards them with a preoccupied face.

"Is something wrong here?"

"Mama, can you brush my hair?" Colette asked, taking the hairbrush from the maid's hands and giving it to her mother. "Agathe doesn't know how to do this."

"Come here, darling." Belle said, holding her hand and glancing a little furious at the blonde woman. "Are you alright, Agathe?"

"Of course I am, milady."

Usually, Belle didn't sound so harshly like she just did, so the maid guessed that something should be bothering her. Or maybe, a negative voice whispered on the back of her mind, it is just her hormones playing with her and in the next few months you'll have to deal with that stupid lady being cruel to you. _Use the potions._

"Well then I advise you to take care with the way you treat my children."

"I'm sorry, milady, but I can guarantee you that I was doing it right," Agathe defended herself, glancing annoyed at the little girl. "Colette is just a little whining today."

"I am not!"

"Get me some tea, Agathe." Belle asked, breathing in and praying to all the gods she knew to not lose her nerves. "I'll finish it."

"Of course, milady."

Going back to where Chip was, finishing his maths, she sat on the chair beside him, positioning Colette right in front of her and brushing her dark-brown curls with care, as Agathe left the library. Belle wanted to cry. It had been four days since Gideon and Rose left to the party and since the travel to Snow's castle took exactly that time, they should be arriving there by now and the party was going to happen that night, but what was bothering her had nothing to do with her older children, but with herself.

Tying Colette's hair in a ponytail, she turned around to get the parchment from her son's hand.

"Let me see it, Chip." Belle said, analysing the lesson. "You did it very well, sweetie."

"Can I play now, mama? Please, I've been on these lessons the while afternoon."

"Just because you were having issues with that, but now that you're done I think you can go, but take your sister with you. And be good with her."

"Alright." Chip mumbled taking the little girl's hand and dragging her out of the library. "Come on, Lette."

Sighing she reclined against the chair, closing her eyes and thinking about making a trip to see Ruby. She needed some rest from her personal problems and her best friend had never failed in cheering her up. Maybe they could disguise and go to some taverns or interesting markets, see what kind of adventure they managed to get, because after all there was a quite long time since she made something really impulsive. Yes, she was definitely going to write to Ruby and leave the castle for a week or so when Gideon and Rose came back.

Belle was grabbing a new parchment when Agathe entered the library again, placing a tray on the table and serving some tea. The lady was distracted, but it was a quick look with the corner of her eyes that prevented her from the fact that Agathe had a small bottle and was about to pour something to her cup.

"What is it on your hand?"

"Oh - " Agathe jumped, looking down as if surprised and a little terrified. "Just a potion. Mrs. Potts said that you were feeling sick this morning."

"Headache. Terrible one, but it's better now, so please don't put anything on my tea." Belle replied, peeved. "When I get sick, my husband gives me the right potions and he would freak out if he saw you in his lab."

"Yeah, you're probably right." The maid, said handing the teacup to her before walking away.

But, Belle however wasn't easy that day. "Agathe. Give me the potion."

"What?"

"The potion." She repeated, stretching her hand. "I'll take it back to its place."

The maid opened her mouth in surprise, not knowing what to do, because she couldn't just give Belle the stupid abortive potion for two reasons: if Rumplestitskin found out what it was, he would kill her without thinking twice and second, she was going to need it later, since she hadn't the chance of putting it on the lady's tea now.

"I actually was thinking if I could use it, since you won't." Agathe tried to excuse herself. "I'm not feeling great too."

"Ok."

The sound of Rumplestiltskin coming in, made Agathe disappear behind some shelves, pretending to be interested in the books as he took a sit beside his wife, touching her face very gently.

"Feeling better, my love?"

"No." Belle admitted, before adding in a confessional tone: "Rumple, I'm bleeding again."

"Oh, darling." He whispered hugging her and bringing her face to rest on his chest, stroking her hair repeatedly. "It's alright."

Agathe smiled for the first time on that torturous week. Belle wasn't expecting a child. Thank gods she didn't waste her potion, because it still might yet be needed if she didn't get to her master, before he had the chance of trying impregnating his wife again.

But no matter what happened next, today Agathe was feeling that she had won that game.

* * *

Rose didn't remember about wearing a golden gown before. That was her mother's colour, her mother's thing to always appear wearing a dress that looked like it was made with the gold her father spun in his wheel, but Belle had insisted that she should wear that for Neal's birthday. The gown had been brought to the Dark Castle by one of the most famous seamstresses in all the realms and adjusted perfectly to her body.

She felt pretty that day, with the auburn curls falling free around her shoulder, only some parts of it tied up in small braids that adorned her hair. After her quick meeting with Roland and Ronnie that morning – that unfortunately wasn't as great as she expected because apparently Queen Snow's maids were instructed to not leave her alone, what got her missing Mrs. Potts and Agathe – she went to the chambers they gave to her, took a long relaxing bath and started to get ready for the night. Now that she was ready and could look at a full mirror since the royals seemed to know nothing about the power those things could have, she was feeling like she needed her mother to be there and give her some last advice before the party.

Belle was her guidance for everything. Rose spent a lot of her time learning magic from her father and sharing secrets with Gideon, but her mother was her whole model for life. Her reading habits came from the times Belle would take her to the library and talk about the books like they were the most powerful objects in the world, the way she held her head up and smiled fiercely even when other people weren't being nice to her were learned from the Dark Lady's own attitude. But there she was alone left to be her own judge, expect that she still had Gideon to lean on, so Rose went out of her chambers, seeing a pair of maids start to follow her again. That was so irritating that she couldn't even begin to explain.

Not even knocking on the door, she entered the room, slamming it shut behind her to keep the stupid maids outside.

"How do I look like?" Rose asked, pointing at herself.

Gideon slowly turned around, all dressed in black and silver, but with less leather than he used to. His coat was made of a thick fabric and moulded his body perfectly, letting the muscles of his arms in evidence and the silver stripes that rounded his neck and went down until the hem of it giving him a special glow in contrast with his green-gold skin. He stood up from the chair he had been sitting holding out a hand for his sister to take before he spun her around to get a full view of her gown.

"Gorgeous, but you always do."

"Thank you, brother." Rose grinned. "You don't look bad too."

Ignoring the comment, he waved a hand in the air and made a beautiful necklace appear between his fingers, one that had a golden rose full of rubies encrusted in it and walked towards his sister, stopping behind her to place it around her delicate neck.

"Here. Now you're perfect."

Touching the pendant, she smiled, murmuring a stunned thanks to him. Enlacing her arm on Gideon's she let him take her out of the room, guiding her to the giant ballroom that was set in the middle of Snow's castle. From the top of the stairs that lead to the party, Rose could see how much that place was already crowded, with people talking and dancing. Those balls were usually just a dream for her when she was younger and her parents were invited to events like that, but she was sent to playrooms with the other children. Her father always complained about having to attend any kind of party, but he mother made him go, so Rumplestiltskin just faked smiles and accompanied her.

Rose wasn't much of a social girl, but she thought that the balls were a great excuse to use fancy dresses, look gorgeous and dance, which was a thing she definitely loved doing. So, as they slowly stepped forward on the staircase, she smiled widely, hearing the butlers play their trumpets before announcing their names, warning all the guests of their presence in the ballroom.

"Gideon and Rose, the Dark Prince and Dark Princess."

"I liked this," the girl whispered for her brother. "But nobody calls us that."

"In the Dark Realm, they do."

Narrowing her eyes, Rose felt a little betrayed with the fact that Gideon knew their father's little kingdom but she didn't. Rumplestiltskin usually made monthly trips to there, checking how the mines and the workers were doing, however he never let her go with him. He took his wife in some occasions because he hated being apart from her; he took their maids and butler to do some work with him in another situations, and of course, he took Gideon there too, since he was his heir – and Baelfire wanted nothing to do with it or anything else, he just wanted his comfortable cabin in the woods to go back to after his longs trips around the realms with Emma -, he needed to learn everything about how to rule and protect it. And she was left aside, feeling like she was just a child, like Chip and Colette, never older enough to discover new things.

"Papa only takes you there, never me." Rose whined.

"Jealous?" Gideon chuckled.

"Angry." She replied, then laid eyes on the young man that was making his way towards then, looking extremely handsome in his dark green coat. "Roland!"

The side-smile that crossed his lips made Rose's heart skip a beat. He held out a hand for her to take and she hurried to free herself from her brother's embrace to take it.

"May I have this dance?" Roland asked, both to her and to Gideon that nodded, uncappable of saying denying it when his sister looked so happy.

"Of course." Rose answered, letting the boy take her to the centre of the ballroom, where some couples were spinning around with the sweet melody a group was playing in one of the corners of the hall.

Watching them for a moment, Gideon sighed looking around in an attempt to locate someone he knew, but before he could find anyone a whisper came from the opened double doors that led to the gardens.

"Gid!" He wasn't sure if he had heard it right the first time, but when he turned around he was sure that he did. "Gideon!"

Roderick was standing there all shy and hesitant, his dark hair straightened on the top of his hair and his black clothes matching the dark-grey coat, somehow enlightening his eyes. Gideon gesticulated for them to go to the gardens where no one would see them and Roderick went out, being followed by him until they were outside and his boyfriend took his hand, leading him through the shrub labyrinth. Bending over, he let their lips brush very softly and slowly, unlike most of their kisses.

"You look handsome, Rod." Gideon said, caressing his neck. "Those clothes fit you."

"Out of the poor commoner clothes for a day, thanks to you."

The outfit he was wearing had been provided by Gideon, that insisted in bringing him there and giving him, some clothes made by his father's favourite tailor – not that Rumplestiltskin would ever get to know that the said tailor had been payed to make two outfits for this party, not one. Roderick didn't own anything like that, his family barely had what to eat most days and their salvation had been his relationship with Gideon, who never let them wish for anything, providing for them when Roderick's parents couldn't.

Yet, looking down at him under the weak lights that reached them from inside the castle, Rumplestiltskin's son had no idea how _he_ got so lucky to get Roderick in his life. He had inhered a bit of his father's issues with self-loathing and even though he tried not to show it to everybody, he was insecure with his appearance, because he knew that there was a reason why people called his father a monster and it wasn't just because of his reputation as a devilish dealmaker. Belle had secured him many, many times that he was handsome, but he was pretty aware that not everybody thought like her.

"I don't understand why you like me."

"Fool." Roderick whispered, stroking his cheek. "It is me who don't understand why a powerful beautiful sorcerer like you, heir of the Dark One would ever look at a ragged boy like me."

Shooking his head, Gideon attacked his lips, shutting him up as his tongue slip between them making its way to find his. Things always seemed better when Roderick was around, he felt safer, like he could take the world if he wanted to, he just had to wish so. Maybe, he though, before they met, he didn't have found himself and that was what was missing when he was alone: the right courage to be who he really was.

"I love you, Roderick."

"I love you too." The other boy answered with a sweet smile on his lips. "Now tell me, what do you wealthy kids do?"

Stepping away Gideon shared a grin with him. "We dance, drink, eat all sort of good things and sneak to our rooms with our partners at the end of the party."

"Can't wait for this moment." Roderick assured. "What do we start with?"

"Let's start with the drinks."

Then, they went back to the party.

* * *

If there was something that bothered Rose with keeping her relationship with Roland in secret was to have to pretend having no feelings for him when they were around people, so she was really grateful to be dancing with him, because nobody would suspect about anything when it was a ball and everyone was doing it to. She liked being held with such a care by him as they slide around looking into each other's eyes.

"I can't believe I'm having the chance of dancing with you in public." Roland said in a stunned tone.

A small, sweet laugh left her mouth. "I don't believe we've ever danced before."

"And what a shame, huh? You dance very well."

The smile that played in her lips were brought by the memories that came up to her mind. Rumplestiltskin and Belle on the dining hall of the Dark Castle, looking incredibly in love as they danced to the same song that always played in those occasions, remembered watching them like this ever since she was a child and remembered the Dark One offering her his hand, leading Rose just like he did her mother, giggling at how clumsy she was at first.

"My parents love dancing, so my father started to teach me when I was very little." Rose told him. "Sometimes you'll just walk into the hall and see him and my mother lost into some old tune. I think it's beautiful."

"You make it look so."

Gods, she wanted to lean on and kiss him when he sounded so soft a seemed to be so lost in her eyes, but Rose couldn't do it, so she kept dancing satisfied to have his arm around her waist. Things were too good to be truth, of course, because they were interrupted on the next moment, be the owner of that pretentious party, Prince Neal.

"Roland! It is good to see you, friend." The blonde boy said, showing them his charming smile. "I hate to interrupt, but I believe the lady promised me one dance."

"Hey, Neal, happy birthday." Roland greeted, pulling away from Rose and passing her hand for him to take, positioning them for the dance. "Don't tire her too much, because I intend to have a second turn."

Rose sighed a little frustrated with the fact that her boyfriend was going away, but she couldn't let a friend down, so she kept smiling to Neal as they started to move exactly like she and Roland were doing a moment ago. What she wasn't expecting was that behind the smirk on Neal's lips were a question that was going to make her blush.

"Well that sounded slightly inappropriate don't you think?"

Wanting more than nothing to roll her eyes and ask the prince what kind of stupid attitude was that, Rose forced herself to only give him a clever answer. "I'd rather have the good sense to think that he was talking strictly about the dance. I'm a lady afterwards and my mother taught me to be sensate."

"Of course." Neal nodded. "But as much as I like to be dancing with you, I came here to offer you a deal."

"Sure, because everything people can thing about doing with Rumplestiltskin's daughter is talking about deals. _So typical_."

Ignoring her sarcasm, Neal continued his speech as if she hadn't said a thing. "You see Rose, my parents are getting really old, since they don't use the same dark magic some people do around here, to keep young."

"And who would be those?" She asked, exaggeratedly pretending to be curious and surprised. "I would be shocked to hear their names."

Again, he ignored her.

"I shall be crowd next year, when I celebrate my twenty-one birthday, so today I should pick a bride to be the queen by my side. I think you would be the right choice."

"Yeah?" Rose laughed. "And why out of every beautiful rich princess in this ballroom would you pick me, Neal?"

"Easy. You're the Dark One's daughter, a seer that could prevent us from bad times, not to say that you have a strong power and looks fertile."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. So that was what this was about? Neal getting a freaking marriage? And what kind of sick talk was that? Why were women supposed to seat in thrones as a beautiful object, obeying their husbands and giving them heirs? Were Snow and David agreeing with this or they had no idea that their son was choosing her?

"I look fertile?" This time she guffawed. "That's the most ridiculous thing you could ever have said to me."

"Your mother gave birth to four babies, and whatever child we might have would inherit you magic, so - "

"Dear gods, stop talking." Rose almost begged, rudely pulling away from him, uncappable of keeping dancing with Neal for another second. "The answer is no."

"Why?" The prince seemed confused, like being rejected was never an option on his mind.

" _Why?_ Neal, you're talking about me like I am a merchandise and that I am certainly not." She assured him with that strong, fierce look of Belle's shining in her eyes. "Listen, I am Rumplestiltskin's daughter, and you're an idiot if you I thought I would accept it. _Actually_ , if my father heard your little speech, you would be dead by now. So, no, I won't be your queen. Go dance with another girl."

Leaving him staring back at her on the centre of the ballroom, Rose walked away looking for any kind of drinks when she saw her brother and his boyfriend Roderick, flirting and talking near the doors. She went straight to their direction, aware of the frown in her face that Gideon immediately noticed when he locked eyes on her.

"Was Neal bothering you?" He asked.

Grabbing the silver cup that he was holding, Rose drank the wine that still had left in it. "Yeah, _he proposed_."

"What?" His eyes got wide. "You accepted?"

"Do I look like a desperate idiot, Gideon?" Rose rolled her eyes. "I have dignity."

Still, she couldn't believe in how much Neal had been stupid. It seems her brother was right all the time and he had become too presumptuous through the years, she just hadn't realised that yet.

"You were curious about what happens in those parties?" Gideon asked Roderick. "Well that is it."

"A smug prince is always selling himself around?" Roderick questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Almost always." Her brother shrugged.

"Rosie!"

"Oh, gods." She muttered under her breath, wanting another sip of wine more than anything, because she recognised that voice and as much as she liked the owner of it, she knew when a great big moment of small talk was coming. When Rose turned around the beautiful pale girl dressed in a green gown, was already making her way to them. "Robin, long time no see, redhead."

Zelena's daughter hugged her briefly, before she looked up at Rose's brother, carefully analysing him. "You look good today Rosie. And Gideon, if you want to have a talk in the gardens with me later, I'm free."

Roderick narrowed his eyes, glancing at his boyfriend. "She is a princess?"

"No and we'd better get something to eat, right?" Gideon said, quickly excusing himself. "See you later, Robin."

Back when they were children, Robin was one of her favourite persons to play with. She was always at Regina's castle spending some time with her cousins when Rose and her family made visits so the two of them always end up having good moments together – some that she didn't like to comment too much, like the time they set fire to Veronica's chambers – but some that she always liked to remember.

"Your brother is hot." Robin contemplated, observing Gideon and Roderick walk away in the crowd. "You know, my mom still has a crush on your father."

"The two things I didn't need to hear today." Rose complained.

It wasn't a secret for anyone that Zelena had a crush on Rumple, but as she got older, Rose started to realise that a lot of women had interest in her father and that her mother wasn't the only one that thought his peculiar appearance to be attractive. However, she knew no other person would be capable of loving him the way Belle did, accepting his flaws and standing by his side even at his darkest moments.

"The dance is already over?" She heard Roland ask as he approached them, only noticing Robin when his hand was already stroking Rose's arm. "Hello cousin."

"Hi, Rol. Where is Ronnie?"

"I think I saw her near the left windows."

Robin nodded, saying goodbye to them as she went to look after Veronica. Rose wasn't sure, but she thought that she suspected about them being together, even though none of them had told her anything or acted romantically in front of her. She was just perceptive, she guessed.

"Do you think someone would notice if we leave just now?" Rose asked Roland.

"No."

Taking his hand on hers, they walked to the gardens were nobody would see them and she used her powers to make them materialize on the chambers the King and the Queen had given her. She thought that it was good to be there, out of everyone's eyes reach, without all those people faking smiles and talking about amenities nobody was really interested in. It brought her relieve, so when Rose snapped her fingers, changing her golden dress to a simple comfortable nightgown, she was totally sure that balls weren't her thing.

"A lot better." The girl breathed out, climbing up the bed.

"You're not intending to go back there." Roland pointed out.

"I'm not much of a social person." Rose shrugged, tapping a hand on the empty space beside her. "Come here."

Taking off his boots with a wave of magic, Roland laid by her side, looking at her eyes and playing with her hair.

"Roland, why do you like me?"

"What kind of question is that?" He asked.

"Just answer."

"You're fascinating." He said without hesitance. "You're fearless. You are not scared of facing the world."

"I knew there was a good reason why I liked you." Rose smiled, happy to hear the big difference between what Roland thought of her and what Neal did. It almost got her making a decision. Just almost. "I think Queen of Sherwood suits me."

If Regina heard that, she was going to assure Rose that she wasn't going to be replaced so soon, but she didn't care, because the girl didn't intend in taking that title soon either, she just wanted Roland to know that she was considering it and that he would always be her first choice. She kissed him, clutching against the boy and feeling a wave of excitement settle on her womb as their lips started to work hungrier and their hands travelled between hairs and clothes.

"Rose - " he groaned, feeling the effects of having her in his arms like this start to show on his body and suddenly sat on the bed, inhaling deeply. "I need to stay away from you."

Rose tried to not look down, to the place where his desire for her was obvious, because she wasn't ready to face it, even knowing that she wanted him too. She touched his shoulder and looked at his eyes, instead.

"Stay here tonight and just hold me," the girl asked. "Please."

Roland thought that she was definitelly crazy, because she was seeing that he was struggling to calm himself and banish the forbidden thoughts that he was having about her right now, from his mind and still she was asking him to stay there. That was unthinkable.

"If someone realises that I am here, they'll talk bad about you."

"Oh, they will talk bad about me tomorrow anyway." Rose chuckled, kissing his cheek. "Stay here."

And how could he deny her when she sounded so sweet and pleading? Roland laid back against the pillows, bringing her with him, letting Rose lay her head on his shoulder. "Alright."

She felt his chest rising and falling as he breathed difficultly, but the safe sensation of his arms around her were so perfect that she tried not to think about anything else and very quickly he fell asleep.

Rose was back to the dying king's chambers, seating in a wooden chair by his side, feeling her hands shaken with fear, concern, rage and angst, all at the same time. The pink dress she was wearing, looking nothing like the one's she used to have home. On the bed, the king coughed repeatedly, but kept looking at her with eyes full of disgust, like she was the most horrible thing he had ever laid his eyes on.

"You're a demon's spawn. The daughter of a monster." He almost spitted. "You shouldn't exist!"

A different agony from everything she had ever felt seemed to smash her heart inside her chest at these words. "So why don't you tell your men to kill me?"

The next look that crossed his face confused her, because it wasn't the angry one's he had shoot at her since he discovered who she was. It almost seemed to be regret.

"Because you look like her."

A loud scream left her mouth when Rose's body shook, coming back from the vision and waking her, making her sit on the bed, trembling and crying. She didn't know why but she felt pity for him and this time the vision hadn't even reached his death.

"Rose, what is it?" Roland asked, sitting by her side and rubbing at her back as he yawned.

The door of her chambers was open and Gideon entered there, as if the wind had brought her desperate scream to his ears wherever he was and he just came running there, what probably had in fact happened, since the only thing he was wearing was trousers and a black nightvest. A dark-haired boy followed him inside, wearing pretty much the same thing.

"Oh, sweetie." Gideon whispered, bringing Rose to his lap, before glancig harshly at the boy by her side. "Get out, Roland."

"But she - " he tried to say.

"I told you to get out!" The Dark One's son screamed, sounding exactly like Rumplestiltskin himself. "And I don't want you sharing the same room my sister does."

"But we didn't - "

"Get out, mate." The dark-haired boy advised and Roland finally gave up and left the room.

Rose was aware of the conversation happening, but she was still too out of her mind to say anything. Now she knew that whoever that king was, she was going to be there at his dying bed, because it was very clear now, that he was speaking directly at her. _A demon's spawn_ , he called her.

"What was it this time?" Gideon asked softly. "Lucy?"

"No. Just the king" Rose said. "It will happen sooner than I expected."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note:** This chapter was revised by my new amazing beta Ethereal Wishes._

* * *

The sun was shining bright while a bunch of carriages lined in front of Snow White's castle, preparing to take the guests home, left from last night's party. Rose was waiting for her brother and butler to appear in sight again, calling her to go home, struggling with the feeling of her eyes almost closing, but a full night's sleep was rare for her.

Roland had already left for Sherwood alongside his sister, Veronica. He stopped at her chambers beforehand, just to see how she was doing, and she took the opportunity to apologize to him, both for scaring the poor boy with her screams and for the rude way her brother and his boyfriend had expelled him from there. Rose sat by his side and confessed how her dreams affected her, something she never before had the courage to tell him. The boy didn't know what to say, but that he was sorry and would always stand by her side when she needed him, then he left, giving her one last kiss goodbye.

Gideon sent Roderick home. And that was another subject she briefly discussed with Roland, not saying much, but just asking her boyfriend not to mention anything about the dark-haired young man, whom was accompanying her brother when they entered her chambers the night prior. Roland promised he wouldn't tell anyone about it, and didn't question why she was making that request, even though, the look in his eyes told her he knew why.

Now, lost in her own thoughts, all she could do was close her cloak's pin to make sure it wouldn't fall from her shoulders. People were walking around there, saying their goodbyes to some friends, looking for maids or charioteers, making a lot of noise as they spoke loudly, so Rose only payed attention to the young woman that was walking towards her, because she was walking straight towards her.

"Drizella, hi!" The girl said happily, taking her mother's old advice to not be rude with anyone, no matter how much that person deserved to be threated coldly. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I am as much a part of this family as you are," she replied in that same arrogant tone, the one she'd used ever since they'd met at Henry and her stepsister, Cinderella's, wedding. "I heard that you refused Prince Neal's proposal last night. I was just wondering what kind of crazy reason you had to say no."

"Well, it isn't what I wanted," Rose shrugged. "How is your mother? I guess she should be feeling _devastated_ with your stepsister's disappearance."

"Oh, she is totally concerned." Drizella's eyes sharpened at her retort.

Trying not to chuckle at her words, Rose simply rolled her eyes, because everybody knew how much Lady Tremaine and her daughters disliked Cinderella. They'd were full of jealously when she'd married Henry, who was the heir to two thrones, deriving from the most powerful family in the realm. Rose sighed in relief at the sight of the next carriage stopping in front of the gates.

"Rose, it is time to go." Gideon said, jumping from the carriage, leaving the door open for her.

"You're taking the Queen's road?" Drizella questioned when she began to walk away.

"Yeah, it's the safest one," Rose answered. "Good to see you," she nodded curtly, turning to face the carriage.

Allowing Gideon to help her inside, she settled on the plush seat, searching for the book she had left there for the long travel, as her brother accommodated himself right in front of her, the carriage started moving.

"I don't like that girl," she complained, opening the book on her lap, searching for the page she'd dogeared.

"You're not the only one, sis." Gideon assured her. "Drizella looks like a problem."

Inhaling deeply, she looked up at him, the urge of apologizing filling her chest, because she was too grateful to have her brother standing by her, whenever she needed him. Their family had always been fiercely loyal to one another, and she knew he would always be there for her. "Listen, I'm sorry for last night, I've ruined your plans, haven't I?"

"No. I enjoyed myself immensely. Roderick knows that I stop everything I'm doing when I hear you screaming," Gideon said, placing a hand on her knee, giving her one of his kindest smiles. "He worries about you too."

"I like him. He makes you happy," Rose replied, and it couldn't have been truer. She liked Roderick a lot, thought that he was funny and gentle, but the greatest reason she liked him was because he was what Gideon needed, and she only wished that he could feel the same way about Roland.

"Now, can we please talk about you not scaring my boyfriend and just being glad that he makes _me_ happy?" Rose pleaded.

Pulling his hand away from her, he leaned back in his seat. "I'm sorry, but it isn't going to happen as long as I keep finding him sharing the same bed as you."

"We were fully dressed, Gideon!" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not hearing you."

"Child!" Rose accused.

"Snake." Gideon comeback.

* * *

He fell asleep when the sky showed a beautiful mix of colours, and a lull took place in the carriage. Rose concentrated on reading her book, the low noise of the horses' steps filling the air with a comforting sound. Gideon felt thankful for getting some rest as his eyes closed, and when he opened them again, it was because he felt an annoying tremor in his shoulders.

Blinking, the boy tried to focus on the shadow of his sister's silhouette, barely visible in the darkened carriage.

"Gideon," she whispered in a frightened tone.

"Nightmare?" He asked, rubbing his eyes drowsily.

"No," Rose said, "we stopped."

"What? Stopped? Why?" Gideon demanded.

"I don't know. Things are too quiet, I'm afraid," she whimpered.

He was still feeling a bit numb and unwilling to close his eyes again. Gideon took a look outside the window, stretching to see that their butler wasn't on his seat, commanding the horses. It certainly explained why they weren't moving, and he couldn't blame the poor man for wanting some rest. They'd been traveling the whole day.

"Mr. Dove must have stopped for some silly reason. Go back to sleep," Gideon coerced.

Rose was about to agree and curl upon the plush seat, but a loud bang outside the carriage made her jump. "Whoa, what was that?"

Gideon wasn't afraid as she was, but he knew that there were thieves on these roads, even in the safest parts, and, for not knowing who was inside the carriage, they could easily end up as a snail beneath their papa's boot, for trying to rob his children.

"Stay inside," he commanded, shooting a serious glance at Rose, opening the door, peering out warily.

"Mr. Dove?" Gideon called, glancing around. "Mr. Dove, where are you?"

"Master, don't come any closer!" Dove's voice boomed throughout the foliage.

Turning around, Gideon saw their butler being held in the air by an invisible force, one he knew very well. Magic. A tall tan man came from behind the butler, walking very slowly, a smirk playing upon his lips.

"Hello, boy," it greeted him darkly.

"Who are you?" Gideon questioned.

Mr. Dove started to choke under the man's amused gaze. "Just someone who needs to send your father a message. Tell him that his days as the Dark One are nearly over."

"You have no idea who you're messing with." Gideon answered, ready to attack.

Opening his hand in front of his body, Gideon created a fireball, throwing it in the man's direction. He easily dodged it, brandishing his sword, stalking towards Gideon. Using his powers, Gideon tried to defend himself, but the man was too powerful, his magical abilities brought Gideon to his knees. Gideon tried to reach for his dagger, but his assailant stopped him, plunging his sword through his abdomen. Gideon writhed in pain as the main mercilessly twisted his blade.

"Gideon!" Rose cried, rushing towards him.

"Not so soon, dear." A woman's voice resounded somewhere in the distance.

None of them saw who she was. Gideon couldn't move with the Immense pain which was coursing through him. Rose's back was turned, and she didn't see the blast of oncoming magic which sent her spiraling into a tree. She fainted upon impact.

The woman smiled wickedly and used her magic to make Dove and Gideon fall into a deep slumber, then she looked up at her accomplice, offering him her hand, allowing him take them away. The carriage remained on the road. Gideon, Dove, and Rose laid motionless beside the carriage.

It didn't take long for a retinue to walk there, bringing a King and his knights. When he saw the other carriage blocking the way, he told his men to move it, so they could pass. However, as his men went to remove the carriage, they saw an unconscious girl. One of the knights gently picked her up, taking her to show the king.

The King took a log attentive look at her face, surprised at how much she resembled someone he once knew, so he decided to take her with them, and the retinue proceeded.

Later that night, Rumplestiltskin's butler opened his eyes, momentarily feeling dizzy and confused before everything became clear in his mind.

"Master Gideon!" Mr. Dove called, reaching for him, after trying to find Rose and failing. "Master, you're hurt!"

Gideon slowly opened his eyes, pressing his hand to his bleeding abdomen, where the sword pierced him.

"Dove - " he tried to sit up-the only thing he could do was groan in pain and take a deep breath.

"Rose?" Gideon queried helplessly.

"She disappeared. I looked everywhere, but now we need to take you home. You're bleeding profusely," Dove warned.

Shaking his head, Gideon refused. Dove couldn't just think that he would head back to the Dark Castle and leave his little sister behind. They needed to find her.

"My sister," Gideon said with difficulty.

"I'll go after her when you're safe, but please use your magic to take us to the Dark Castle now. You won't help her by dying," Dove pleaded.

Blood gushed from his wound. He needed to find Rose, but he couldn't even consider it in his current condition. He reluctantly waved his hand, a golden cloud of smoke whisking them back to the castle.

They appeared in the great hall, and Mr. Dove immediately started screaming. "Master! Milady! We need help!"

"Mr. Dove, what - " Belle halted mid-sentence, upon seeing her firstborn laying helplessly on the floor. Her heart plummeted in her chest, the color draining from her face as she rushed towards him. She knelt beside him, pulling his head into her lap.

"My son!" Belle sobbed. "Rumplestiltskin! Help!"

"Mama... " Gideon whispered, trying to think of something to say which would calm her, her whole body trembling as she baptized him with her tears.

"It's alright, my boy, you'll be alright," Belle crooned, touching his brow tenderly.

Mrs. Potts hurried into the room, upon hearing the commotion and the Lady of the Dark Castle's sobs. "Milady?"

"We need herbs and clean cloths and - " Belle cried, "he is losing a lot of blood. Hurry!"

Gripping at his mother's hand with his bloody fingers, Gideon tried to open his mouth to say that they should stop worrying about him, and start looking for his sister, however the the immense loss of blood caused him to faint. Another sob tore from Belle's throat as her son fainted.

Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, fear festering inside of her. Belle couldn't lose him; she wouldn't survive if she had to watch her son die.

"Sweetheart, I - " Rumplestiltskin halting himself at the sight of his wife cradling their injured son in his arms. "Gideon? _Oh, no._ What happened?"

"We were attacked on the road." Mr. Dove explained. "A man and a woman with powerful magic."

The imp looked around, immediately noticing his missing daughter. "Where is Rose?"

"Disappeared." The butler mumbled, diverting his glance to the floor.

 _Rose_ , Belle thought, trembling even more. Her son was dying and only the gods knew what could be happening with her girl at that moment. Why was this happening to them? Wasn't it terrible enough that she seemed unable to conceive another child, or that her precious daughter had to endure those horrible visions? Haven't _they already suffered enough?_

"Disappeared?" Her husband repeated harshly, glaring at Mr. Dove. "I sent you there to protect our children! My son is severely wounded, and my daughter has vanished!" Rumplestiltskin snarled vehemently at the butler, tempted to turn him into a snail and crush him underneath his boot.

"Stop!" Belle screamed despairingly. "Rumple, please, we need to take our son to a comfortable place and heal him."

He finally seemed to come to his senses, directing his attention to Gideon. He fell to his knees in front of her, taking his son's hand and kissing his knuckles.

"Mama, what is happening?" Chip asked, traipsing into the great hall with Agathe and Colette trailing behind him.

"Agathe, take the children away!" Belle demanded.

But it wasn't needed because in the next second, Rumplestiltskin's magic transported them to Gideon's chambers. Belle laid on the bed with their boy, as the imp stood by their side, passing his fingers above the cut on his abdomen, his magic healing the wound and leaving only a small scar.

"He will be fine." Rumple whispered, waving his hand to change Gideon's soiled clothing.

"He is pale," Belle replied, tears still streaming down her face.

"I'll prepare some potions," he vowed, "then I'll concoct a tracking spell to look for our daughter."

Lifting her gaze to him, Belle never appeared more vulnerable. She was clutching their son as if he were a child again, and he noted her body trembling with fear.

"If something happens to any of them - " she muttered.

Rumplestiltskin touched her face ardently, bending to press a tender kiss to her cheek. "It won't, my love. I promise you."

With that, he left Gideon's chambers, leaving Belle to cry and hold her boy. "Mama is here, darling, and I won't leave you."

* * *

"Do you think he is going to die?" Agathe asked the housemaid, leaning against the egress.

"Master Gideon?" She snorted. "Of course not, girl! Go mind your own business and take some time to pray to the gods for milady Rose's safety."

The blonde maid scoffed, but said nothing, turning her back and disappearing into the hallway. It took some time, but Mrs. Potts found the bottle of wine she'd stowed away for a day like today. She mused over offering it to her lady as a gesture of comfort. Mr. Dove rounded the corner, wearing a somber expression. There was a reason why Rumplestiltskin chose him as their butler: Dove was a big, intimidating, man. He looked wrecked.

"It's my fault," Dove lamented.

Mrs. Potts opened her arms to him. Dove had to sit on a chair to hug her, because she was too petite for him to properly embrace.

"No, Dove, it's not," she reassured him, stroking his neck gently. "There was nothing you could've done to stop it."

"But what if milady Rose is dead?" The butler questioned. "I'll never be able to forgive myself. She is just a child."

"Listen!" Mrs. Potts said, pulling his face away from her and forcing him to look into her eyes. "She will be fine. Master wouldn't ever allow anything bad happen to his girl."

"I'm sorry for that," he sniffled.

"I know," she said, pulling away from him and grabbing the basket she left on the counter. "I need to attend to Lady Belle."

Dove nodded, standing up. "Sure, you go on."

Squeezing his hand one last time, she left the kitchen, seeing Chip chase Colette around the dining hall, making her giggle, completely ignorant of the fact that their family was in a bad situation, right now. The maid was about to take the stairs to the right tower when Rumplestiltskin materialized in front of her.

"Mrs. Potts?"

"Yes, master?"

"Take this to your lady," he said, placing some closed tubes inside her basket. "Gideon shall take one of these, every night until he heals internally." The imp instructed. "I'm going after my daughter, now."

"Good luck," Mrs Potts remarked, refraining from embracing him as she had Dove.

All he did was to nod and let his glance fall to another thing he had been holding, a purple scarf that belonged to Rose. He was worried like never before. Mrs. Potts only ever recounted seeing such a devastated look upon his face one other time, and it was the day Lady Belle suffered a miscarriage. Rumplestiltskin, the great Dark One, was about to break down. However, he wasn't going to give in to weakness. _No_. He was going to fight like he always did. So, he let the purple smoke make him vanish away, and the maid returned to her duties, going straight to Gideon's chambers and knocking on the door.

"Milady, may I come in?" Mrs. Potts asked, finding Belle sitting on the bed by her son's side. "I brought some herbs and master sent you the potions he promised. He left to find Rose."

"Of course, come here," The lady answered, sniffing and wiping the tears from her eyes.

Leaving the basket on the nightstand, Mrs. Potts took a seat on the edge of the bed. "How is he doing?"

"I don't know, he didn't wake up." Belle's lower lip trembled. "Mr. Potts, why is this happening to me?"

"Oh, milady. I don't know, but I'm truly sorry!"

"Is it because I was ungrateful about not being able to have another child?" Belle asked, caressing Gideon's hair. "Now, am I cursed to lose the ones I already have?"

"No! Milady, he will be fine." Mrs. Potts reassured her. "Your son is a strong boy and master will find your girl and bring her back home."

"What if she is harmed?" Belle queried, her mind filling with trepidation.

"She won't be. She'll be returned to us safely." The maid said, stretching out her arm to hold Belle's hand. "And you and the Master will have more children. I just know it!" Mrs. Potts affirmed.

"Thank you," she whispered, still crying, "for being my friend."

"Mama - " Gideon remarked weakly.

Belle's face lit up hopefully upon hearing his voice, and fresh tears fell from her eyes as she pressed quick kisses to her son's cheeks and forehead.

"Oh, sweet boy, I'm here," Belle crooned

"Where is Rose?" Gideon asked hurriedly.

"I don't know, darling. Your father is looking for her right now," his mother replied, biting her lip worriedly.

"I'm sorry, mama," he said, and in his deep brown eyes, Mrs. Potts could see the guilt he was feeling. "I should have protected her."

"It's alright," Belle whispered.

"No," Gideon insisted, "I was weak."

The maid shook her head. "Master, you were hurt. It is not your fault."

"I was supposed to be her hero. She always said that I was her hero," he mumbled.

"And you are," Belle stated. "Gideon, you are the most handsome hero in these lands and when your sister comes back, she'll tell you the same."

* * *

The very first thing Rose felt when she woke up was a terrible ache in her head. She touched her forehead, however it wasn't the feeling of the open cut against her fingers which made her gasp, but the fact she realised she wasn't in the woods anymore. She was inside a warm room, laying in a bed while two guards watched her. With some effort, she sat up, gazing at them puzzlingly.

"Where am I?" Rose questioned. "Where is my brother?"

Sharing a glance, one of them nodded to the other, before saying: "I'll tell the king that you've awakened."

 _The King?_ This clearly wasn't Snow and David's castle, since the walls were yellow, not white or blue like they were there. This place was completely new to her and didn't look like any other castle she had been in before. The wooden furniture looked old and shabby, nothing like the pieces you could find in a wealthy noble's home. Her cloak was missing, and she was wearing a long sleeved, pink dress that she didn't recognise.

"Where is my brother?" She shouted at the remaining guard.

The door burst open and, a whole retinue entered the room, led by a chubby, tall man, that looked too pale and seemed to be sickly. And she knew who he in fact was, because he was the king she had dreamed of - The man was fated to die.

"You're awake, that's good," he said to her. "Me and my men found you on our way home. You were laying unconscious on the road. I'm Maurice, King of Avonlea, and you're in my castle."

Rose felt as if her heart would stop. She was in Avonlea, her mother's place of birth, and the man right in front of her was her grandfather, the man who'd spread rumours all around the Enchanted Forest about his own daughter giving herself willingly to a monster, calling her a whore and her children bastards. Rose felt speechless. She needed to get out of here.

"My guard said that you were asking for your brother. Was he with you?" Maurice asked. "We only saw you and the empty carriage, but I can send my men back to look for him."

A small laugh left her mouth as she slipped off the bed, standing to her feet. "No, thank you, your Majesty. I think I'll just be on my way now."

"Not so fast," The King intercepted her, holding her arm. "Describe your brother and we will look for him."

Her breath was caught in her throat as she remembered the long conversations she had with her mother through the years, where she told Rose how much she always felt locked away in Avonlea, unable to make her own decisions, having her father to guide her life. Belle used to say that in the moment she made that deal with Rumplestiltskin, she freed herself from a future she never wanted to have. It appeared that the King hadn't changed a bit.

"Oh, I can't describe him, sir, because if I do so, you'll send your men to kill him, not to rescue him," she returned.

"And why would I? Is he some kind of monster that I would fear?" Maurice inquired.

Another laugh attempted to leave her, because he didn't know how much he was right, at least in his own point of view. Gideon had Rumplestiltskin's skin, and the moment Maurice saw him, he would know whose child he was.

"Please, let me go home, Rose begged. "My parents will be worried."

"I want you stay longer," Maurice objected.

Narrowing her eyes, she asked: "Why?"

"You remind me of someone," he disclosed.

 _Belle_. She reminded him of her mother. Everybody always said how much they favored. Rose was Belle's child in every way, only inheriting a few of her father's features: his thinner noise, and brown eyes.

"Listen, King Maurice, whoever you think that I resemble, I'm not her and I need to go home," she said, impassively. "I beg you to release me."

Ignoring her pleas, the king looked at his men, commanding: "Take her to comfortable chambers and lock the door."

Gasping, she wrenched her arm away from him, throwing the guards and butlers that came at her against the wall.

"A witch!" One of them screamed.

"No, not a witch. The Dark One's daughter." Rose said, ready to use her powers to vanish away, but she felt something gripping at her wrist and before she could react, a black cuff was placed around it.

She tried to use her magic, but it didn't work. She felt soldiers grabbing her from behind, dragging her away.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note:** This chapter was revised by my new amazing beta Ethereal Wishes._

* * *

Rose looked down through the large windows of the room where she had spent the whole day, locked up as prisoner, being watched by King Maurice's guards while she curled in a chair and tried to think. Now, however she was wondering if she could jump through the window to escape, but it was most certain that she would die from the fall. The girl hoped that Gideon and Mr. Dove had made it out of the woods, for their own sake, since her brother had been severely injured on the attack. She knew the moment Rumplestiltskin heard about her disappearance, he was going to use a tracking spell to find her. Then this annoying thing on her arm that blocked her magic, wouldn't matter anymore, because she would be rescued and her father would take it off her wrist in a swift second. She had tried to alert him earlier by summoning the imp, but something must have been wrong with that place, because he didn't come, and could only be justified by the fact that he probably didn't hear her.

A deep loud sigh left her, as she let her eyes travel around the room. There was a four-poster bed with white sheets in the center and a desk on the side with a whole shelf full of old books behind it. She was more than sure that these chambers had belonged to her mother in the past, and as much as her curiosity wanted to draw her to the books, Rose was too upset to even stand up from her seat. It was utterly ridiculous that she was being held captive in her grandfather's castle. Her hands gripped firmly at the chair's arms when she heard the door being unlocked, but despite what she expected, it wasn't Maurice who showed up, but a man that seemed to be around forty or fifty, with greying hair.

He walked towards her like a lion, wearing a smirk on his lips. "Oh, I certainly got a big prize here."

"Excuse me?" Rose blinked.

Ignoring her, the man palmed his hand on her cheek and she quickly pulled back, leaning against the chair, attempting to evade his advances.

"You really do look a lot like her," he said in a contemplative tone and if the shine is his eyes wasn't so full of cruelty, Rose would say that he was happy to see her.

"Will you please stop mumbling your thoughts and tell me who are you and why you're here?" she shouted back.

An evil grin stretched across his lips. "My name is Keith and once I was known as the Sheriff of Nottingham."

She thought she'd heard that name before, and the story behind it quickly popped in her head. Keith was an important man in the Sherwood Forest, and had a bad past with Roland's father, Robin Hood. Some years after the thief married Regina, the commoners started to come for them in search of help, and the kindness they showed, made them start a rebellion against the cruel king that governed those lands by that time, replacing him and his men, by the couple and Robin's friends. Keith was one that lost his place

"And now you're what? The hangman of Avonlea?" Rose remarked testily.

"You have your father's weakness for making threats, huh?" he smirked.

"What do you want from me?" Rose asked. "Has my sweet grandfather sent you to kill me?" she taunted.

Keith folded his arms against his chest, looking even more pretentious than any royal she'd ever met. There was clearly a reason why the Sherwood commoners wanted to rid themselves of him. Rose thought he was horrible and a man who thought too highly of himself.

"No, he actually wants to keep you alive for now, but he called me because he is ill and wished to make a deal," he resumed.

"A deal?" She chuckled darkly. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Oh, you wish, girl," he answered, wrapping his hand around her neck and pulling her up from the chair, bringing Rose's face near his. Her heartbeat quickened and the air got caught in her throat as his mouth approached her ear. "When he dies, you'll be mine."

It was an absurd and she would laugh at his stupidity if it wasn't for the fact that there were two guards watching the scene and none of them seemed willing to stop Keith from doing anything to her. She doubted that they cared irregardless.

"Yours?" Rose questioned in a shaken voice. "Did he really think that he could just sell me like I am, like some slave? My father will come for me and when he does, you better pray the gods have mercy on you."

"Oh, keep talking, doll. This place is barricaded against magic, and Rumplestiltskin will only find you when I decide to let him to," Keith said, clenching his teeth, gripping her neck more tightly, stifling her breathing. "First, we will have some fun for the day he threatened me, and then, we will do it again for the title Regina and her thief dismissed me from."

Fear settled deep within her heart. Had she truly understood what he was saying? She didn't know, but she was sure that she needed to escape from here, because if she spent any other day in Avonlea she might be ruined one way or another. Her summons wasn't reaching her father because this place was protected against magic, and he wouldn't be able to find her so simply. It was up to her to save herself this time.

"I have nothing to do with Regina, so why would you take your revenge by hurting me?" Rose inquired.

"You're her son's girlfriend," Keith shrugged.

Was it possible that she was linked with every single wrong person in this realm? Her body was trembling with fear, because she had never felt so helpless, for her magic had always been her biggest strength and without it, she felt like a coward, longing for nothing more than her parents' protection. Breathing in, she put on her best face, a plan quickly forming in the back of her mind.

"I'm Prince Neal's betrothed!" she blurted out impulsively.

Keith laughed, throwing her back on the chair. "The whole Enchanted Forest knows that this is a lie."

"So, you just came here to gloat?" She inquired. "Did my grandfather agree to any of this?

"Some things are better off left unsaid, doll," he said with another smirk.

"Stop calling me doll!" she growled vehemently.

Turning his back to her and walking towards the door, the former Sheriff of Nottingham gesticulated for the guards to open the door, shouting one last sentence at her: "I hope you enjoy your stay."

* * *

Regina's family was reunited in the dining hall, having breakfast and sharing a light conversation about Prince Neal's birthday party when the purple cloud of smoke materialized near the former Evil Queen's seat, bringing an angered Rumplestiltskin with it. The look on his face was full of distress and he was gripping at Rose's scarf, completely tense.

"My tracking spell isn't working," he said, glancing at Regina. "Why?"

Slowly placing her cup on the table, she turned around to face him with one arched eyebrow. "What reason do you have to believe I would know? You're the man who taught me everything I know, yet you come to me for answers."

"I need an answer!" He bellowed, grabbing the regal woman's arm, making Ronnie and Roland stare at him with wide eyes.

"I don't have it," Regina answered in a calm voice.

"Calm down," Robin said, standing up to grip his jacket. "Pull away."

Rumplestiltskin backed away, taking a long deep breath, trying to calm himself, but it was very hard right now. His daughter was in danger, he knew it deep in his soul and he couldn't reach her, because his damn tracking spell kept failing. He needed to find her, take her home, tuck her into bed just like when she was a child and assure her that she was safe.

"My children were attacked on their way back home," Rumplestiltskin told Regina. "Rose is missing."

Roland immediately felt dragged into the conversation. Truth be told, he was just a little bit afraid of the Dark One when he appeared, storming into the dining hall, screaming at Regina despairingly, but now the boy found himself worried. Gideon and Rose had been attacked on the road, and she had disappeared. Rumplestiltskin's daughter was gone and if he couldn't find her, then Roland was afraid no one could.

"There is clearly a reason why I don't use normal ways of traveling anymore." Regina said, contemplatively. "Magic is safer, and that's why my children are here today."

"Let me see it," Roland said, standing up, daringly grabbing the scarf from the Dark One's hands. Using a tracking spell, he let it flow away through the window. "It's working."

"I'm not dumb, boy." Rumplestiltskin replied harshly. "It works, but only takes me to the road where the carriage was left."

Roland shrugged, unaware of how dangerous it could be. "You said it wasn't working."

"Do you like green?" The Dark One asked, taking a threatening step towards him. "Because I'm thinking about turning you into a big green toad."

"Hey! Get the hell away from him!" Regina yelled, putting herself between them, standing protectively in front of her son. "So, she is not in the road?"

"Obviously not," he remarked stiffly, in an impish tone.

Regina sighed, sharing a quick glance with Veronica before walking to a covered mirror in a corner of the hall.

"Alright, I have no idea what could be happening with this magic, but I know someone that can help us," pulling away the fabric that was covering it, she used her magic to find exactly the person she was looking for, and the mirror showed them a full view of her sister's chambers in Oz. "Zelena!" Regina shouted/

Turning around, the redhead smiled widely. "Hello, sis. Long time, no see."

"I talked with you yesterday," Regina said with a roll of her eyes.

Switching between the dresses in her closet, Zelena seemed to think about it for a brief moment. Rumplestiltskin was getting more nervous as each second passed, wishing they would quit wasting time with the small talk.

"Oh, really? I don't quite remember," Zelena hummed.

"I need your help," Regina demanded, ignoring her sister's silliness. "We're trying to use a tracking spell, but it doesn't lead us to the person we're looking for; it only stops in the last place she was seen."

 _That_ arrested Zelena's attention.

"Curious," she muttered. "I'll do some research and call you later."

Throwing a black cloak on the table, she disappeared from their view, causing the imp's blood to boil in his veins. Was she thinking that they were idiots? This was an extremely serious situation and they had no time to waste.

"Research?" He repeated, stupefied. "If I wanted to do any damned research, I would go home and spend some time in Belle's library."

"Look, calm down a bit - " Regina started.

However, Rumple wasn't the only one drowning in concern. Roland was fearing for his girlfriend as much as her father was and all he wished was to find her and to take her somewhere safe.

"No, mom, he is right. Something terrible could be happening to Rose while we discuss this. We need to go after her," the boy said, before looking up at Rumplestiltskin. "I'll go with you, my lord. We shall do this the old way and search the woods."

"You're not going," the dark-haired woman forbade.

"We lost a member of this family this year, and I'm not going to risk losing another" Robin whispered to her, massaging her shoulders. "I'm going."

* * *

"You requested my presence?" Rose asked, entering the throne room, followed by the two guards that were designated to keep an eye at her at all times.

King Maurice coughed, looking even more ill than he had on the day prior, the bags under his eyes darker and his skin paler. She knew it wouldn't be long before death reached him, and Rose feared for what it meant for herself.

"Yes," he answered with difficulty, his breathing out hard as if he had just run for hours. "It's difficult to associate you with that monster. You're not like your brother, you look like my daughter."

That was probably the thing that most bothered her in the whole world, people labeling her family, judging without knowing a real thing about their lives. She, Chip, and Bae didn't receive the same looks everyone shot at Gideon and Colette, but it didn't make it less horrible, because for Rose, if you hurt her, you were hurting them too.

"My father is not a monster, nor is my brother," Rose remarked defensively.

It was like she hadn't said a thing. Maurice still analyzed her with cold eyes and his men still seemed to feel repulsed to know that she was the Dark One's daughter. Incredible how a simple bit of knowledge can change everything, because she was pretty sure that if they didn't know who her father was, they would've treated her as any commoner.

"Does she live?" The King questioned. "Belle."

Narrowing her eyebrows, Rose started to play with the hem of the sleeves of her gown. She was dressed like a princess should, in fine satin, adorned with small diamonds that should cost more than most things in that hall – and probably in the whole castle too – since everything seemed to be old and decadent, which probably explained the fact that Avonlea was falling, just like it's King. The throne had no heir but the only daughter that Maurice had disowned.

"Why wouldn't she? My mother is a healthy woman, protected by the most powerful sorcerer of these lands," Rose replied.

"He ruined her," Maurice said, bitterly, "made her a whore."

And there was that sick dirty word again that he insisted on using to define her mother. It angered her to hear it, because Belle was a respectable lady, and the fact that she and Gideon had been born before their parents had gotten married didn't change that, nor made their father a worse man.

"You definitely don't know my mother," Rose snorted. "I'm sorry that you don't, because she is an amazing person and she fiercer than you think. She is nothing like you and she would be disgusted to know that after all this time you're still a close-minded person."

A slap hit her face before she could react, and even though Maurice was severely ill, he was still strong enough to make her lose her balance and almost fall to the floor. Rose touched her stinging cheek, her heart plummeting in her chest under her grandfather's spiteful gaze.

"Little demon's offspring, speaks just like her father. I'll teach him how it feels when you lose a daughter," he hissed vexingly.

"Trading your granddaughter like she is a slave won't change the fact that you and I are still blood," she retorted, eyes burning with tears, "and do what you wish with me, they have three other children at home, one which is a girl, that has the Dark One's skin, your daughter's eyes and was named after your deceased wife."

"Colette," Maurice mumbled, before storming out. "How dare he? How dare _she_ use her mother's name on a child of the darkness!"

The real question was: how could he talk this way about his own grandchild? Rose was shaking with pure anger, because the world was so black in white for this man that he would die without accepting his own family. She could see why some days her mother would just stand near the windows, looking at the landscape, her gaze always distant, grieving over her father's judgment.

"You're going to die, King Maurice. I've seen it many, many times in my visions, a power inherited from this man you curse so much," Rose told him, before adding one last pleading: "Make peace with your daughter before it's too late."

Maurice shook his head. "Belle died the day she chose that beast."

"Then you shall regret it, until your last breath," she dispelled. "Because in your ignorance, you've barred from your life the most precious thing you had, your own daughter. And in your anger, you didn't even mind of asking for my name."

Making a curtsey for him, with all the petulance she had, Rose conjured the sweetest smile she could muster, even though she felt wrecked inside, then she turned around, letting the guards escort her through the double doors, the King's voice halting them.

"Wait," he asked. "What is it?"

"Rose," she simply stated, before disappearing.

* * *

Agathe was tired of all the drama surrounding the Dark Castle. She was certainly upset that her master was away, and she had no chance to use the lust potion Lady Heart had given her to get to him. And what aggravated her even more was the fact that she had been designated to babysit Colette the whole day, while Dove got Chip and milady Belle spent all her time by Gideon's side, like he was a child.

The maid thought it all to be absurd, since the boy was almost completely healed, and having to keep an eye on that insolent brat that blinked her perfect blue eyes to everyone and got everything she wanted. Colette followed her around the castle, attentive and clever, asking questions that seemed to be out of the reach of a five-year-old girl, so when Agathe got really tired of her, she climbed up the stairs with her little green-gold hand tucked in hers.

She crossed the hall and knocked on Gideon's door. "Milady, may I come in?"

Belle opened the door very slowly, not wanting it to produce any sound that could wake up her precious boy. Agathe entered the room with Colette jumping excitedly behind her.

"Yeah, just don't make too much noise," the lady said in a whisper, pointing at the bed. "He's sleeping."

"Mama!" Colette exclaimed, stretching her arms and silently asking to be picked up from the floor.

"Hey, baby girl, I thought you would be playing," Belle greeted her cheerfully.

Belle walked towards the armchair where she had been snuggled in and sat with her daughter curled on her lap. Colette laid her head on her mother's shoulder, toying with the ringlets of her hair.

"I want to play dolls, but there is no one to play dolls with me," the little girl complained.

Rolling her eyes, Agathe leaned against the wall. She used to like the younger children, but lately, everything they did bothered her, maybe because she never had stopped to think how annoying they were, or maybe because she was trying to get used to the idea that if Lady Heart's plan succeeded, they would all be dead at some point.

"I brought the soup." From the opened door, came Mrs. Potts, holding a tray with a plate and a spoon, a smile on her lips, until the moment her glance fell to her. "Oh, hey, Agathe. The treasure room needs cleaning, I guess I've said that earlier."

"I was watching Colette," the blonde maid said with a shrug.

"Well there is no need to do it anymore," Mrs. Potts answered, placing the tray on the nightstand. "I'll look after her, now you go."

Huffing, she left the room, slamming the door shut behind her, which made Belle's eyes narrow with annoyance. That maid was really starting to irritate her, and she thought that Rumplestiltskin might be right about her after all.

"What is wrong with her lately?" she asked Mrs. Potts.

"You don't want to know it right now, milady," the chubby maid answered, shaking her head.

All that noise, caused Gideon to wake up, slowly opening his eyes, attempting to sit up. Belle stood up, still holding Colette and sat herself by his side, helping her boy recline himself against the pillows.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Sore," Gideon said with a strangled breath.

"I guess you're supposed to," Belle muttered, caressing his hair, "but you're already seeming to be better than yesterday."

Colette slipped from her lap to sit on Gideon's, making a sound of pain leave him when her elbow hit his abdomen by accident. Belle reached to take her back, but he only waved a hand, assuring her that everything was alright.

"Gid, Agathe said a bad man hurt you," the little girl mumbled.

"Yeah, that is true, wee one," he affirmed.

"That bad man has Rosie?" she asked.

Gideon's lips tightened in a thin line and his brown eyes stared down at his sister for a long moment before he could manage to mutter an answer. "I don't know."

"I want her to be back and play dolls with me," Rose added.

Sensing that it was time for the little girl to stop speaking, and causing her brother to feel even more guilty than he was already feeling, Mrs. Potts walked towards them and offered her hand to Colette.

"Colette, darling let's play in the gardens with Chip," the maid proposed, taking her out of Gideon's chambers and leaving him alone with his mother.

When the door closed behind them, Belle cast him an apologetic look.

"She's been a little whiny lately," Belle explained, before grabbing the tray that was on the nightstand and placing it in front of him. "Mrs. Potts brought you some soup."

"Thank you," Gideon smiled, taking the spoon and drawing the broth to his lips. "It's delicious."

Belle's heart felt a little lighter to be talking to him and his full green-gold colour had come back to him, and he wasn't looking so paler anymore. A part of her mind went back to the day Gideon had been born, and she almost could see that small squealing thing in her arms. Her whole world had changed in that moment she held her son for the first time, and suddenly didn't belong to her anymore, but it was devoted to her child, who now was a man, taking all the risks life offered.

"I'm so glad to see you looking a little stronger. You scared me to death yesterday, Gid," she said, full of motherly concern.

"I am sorry, mama," he said taking her hand and bringing it to his lips so he could press a kiss to the back of it. "I hate to see you so concerned."

"It seems it is my duty to be concerned all the time," she replied with a small chuckle. "It's what a mother does."

Letting her hand fall back to her lap, Gideon kept eating his soup in silence, under his mother's lovely watch. He was lost in a torrent of thoughts, in his own concern over Rose's safety and it took him a while to be able to speak again.

"No word from papa?" he asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Belle shook her head, taking a deeper breath, "but he is not coming home without your sister."

He wasn't sure if he should tell her his next information, but Gideon never liked to keep secrets from his mother. He'd been dating Roderick without her consent and it was one of the most daring things he'd ever done, telling himself each day that he was only waiting for the right moment to reveal it all to her and his father. But as much as Gideon was afraid of telling them about his personal life, he was even more terrified to share something that would change things for their family, however he gathered all the courage he had.

"Mama," Gideon started. "When I was fighting with the man who attacked us, he told me that he was doing it to send a message to father."

"A message?" Belle repeated with a frown.

"Yes, that his days as the Dark One are nearly over."

"Someone is planning to kill him," she concluded with fear shinning in her eyes. "Oh, gods," she spoke clasping her hands over her mouth, panic stricken.

Pulling his tray back to the nightstand, Gideon opened his arms, letting his beautiful, kind mother lay her head against his chest.

"Whoever is planning this will fail," he said. "You'll see."

Belle took a deep breath, finding herself unable to believe him. "Will we ever be safe?"

* * *

 _ **Important Note:** This is tthe last ready to go chapter that I have, so I'm really, really sorry but I'll be posting weekly updates from now on. I usually write a chapter per day, however I'm working in four Rumbelle fics at this moment, so all need some attention, as they need to be revised by my beta. I hope you guys understand. I'll keep working as fast as I can to provide updates for you._

 _In the mean time if you want to ask me for little snippets of the next chapter for any of my works, you can ask for it as na anon or not on my tumblr (which is also imgilmoregirl). As always, thank you for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

_This chapter was revised by my incredible beta Ethereal Wishes._

 _ **Warning:** This chapter has some rape content, so if you're not willing to read anything related to that, please don't._

* * *

They materialized in the middle of the woods, where the black and red carriage was still left aside, abandoned after the attack its owners had suffered. Roland looked around, hoping that the Dark One was wrong, and Rose was in fact laying unconscious in a hidden corner of this forest, his bow and arrows slung over his shoulders. Even though he had magic, the boy always carried his father's most cherished weapons, because he was good at using then, and felt secure having them in his reach.

His parents were glancing at each other like a new argument was about to erupt between them, but he was trying to ignore it, because he didn't want to think that he had brought more problems to them, and he was too worried about Rose. Rumplestiltskin kneeled on the ground, picking up the purple fabric that was laying on the ground.

"The scarf," Roland muttered.

"This was the place Gideon and Dove last saw her," the imp confirmed.

Regina sighed, resting both her hands on her hips as she looked around unpleasantly. "It's almost like she vanished from this realm."

Something clicked inside Roland's mind at his mother's words. There were only two options possible to look at if the tracking spell couldn't locate Rose, the first one was what Regina pointed out, but the second - well the second gave him some hope that Rose might be as close as they were. He turned around to face Robin in an attempt to confirm his suspicions, pointing at the forking paths ahead them.

"Wait, those three roads go to where, dad?"

"The middle one is the Queen's road," Robin explained, "and it goes straight to Snow White's castle. The left goes to Aurora's, and the right is the path to Avonlea."

"That's it!" Roland exclaimed happily.

"What?" All three of them asked simultaneously.

Rolling his eyes, the boy gestured to the path his father had pointed to, attempting to understand how they couldn't have realised what that meant. They were adults, had already lived through enough adventures, and he didn't think it was difficult to follow his line of reasoning.

"Avonlea!" Roland exclaimed.

"I'm not understanding your point, boy." Rumplestiltskin said. "Why would she be in Avonlea? And if she was, the tracking spell would take us there."

"No, milord, and that's exactly the point," Roland bounced. "Some years ago, King Maurice bound the place against magic using the help of the fairies. This kingdom is invisible to the tracking spell."

By his side, his mother gasped. "I raised a prodigy."

"Well, I do have to admit that this was clever, boy." The Dark One agreed, and he felt flattered with this small compliment, and if Rose was here he would have asked her to repeat her father's words for decades.

"Thank you, milord," Roland said with a smile. "But, we have a problem. I don't know if our magic will work once we reach the limits of Avonlea."

But that wasn't exactly a problem for Rumplestiltskin. He may feel uncertain and useless without magic, as if he was just a coward again, but that wouldn't prevent him from saving his daughter. He would enter Avonlea and slay anyone who tried to get in his way if need be.

"With magic or not, I'll get my daughter back," the imp assured him.

"But why would she be there?" Regina wondered. "I thought Maurice hated your family."

"Oh, yeah, he does and my guess is that this is the reason she is there," he said, twisting the scarf in his hands. "But if he harmed my Rose, he will pay."

Robin inhaled deeply, tapping his hand on his son's back as he glanced at the worried Dark One. "We can't waste time."

"Aye," Rumplestiltskin muttered in agreement. "We can't."

* * *

Rose was tired, eyes almost closing with the need for sleep, but she was too frightened to do so, and for the first time it had nothing to do with her visions, actually on that day, she would have been grateful if they were the only problems she had to face. Her grandfather was even worse than she'd ever thought him to be, he claimed to want her alive. She wasn't counting on that, and adding to the fact that this creepy guy Keith was eager to get a chance to take his foolish revenge over her father and Regina by destroying her reputation, she'd rather stay awake, although she knew that she was nothing without her magic.

For the first time, Rose understood what her father meant by feeling like a coward without his powers, because it was exactly why she was terrified. She felt uncomfortable on the bed, starring at the bookshelf and wondering if her mother had ever felt so miserable as she was. Her stomach was aching with hunger, however nobody seemed to have remembered that she needed to eat, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered in selling her to Nottingham, because she would starve to death before she asked him for a favor.

Hugging the pillow beside her, Rose sighed, telling herself that she was the Dark One's daughter and he would find her before anything worse could happen. She looked up upon hearing the sound of the door opening behind her. Alerted, Rose sat up, but instead of the King or his stupid lecher, one of the knights appeared.

"King Maurice wants to see you," he said.

"Again?" Rose asked with a bitter laugh, straightening her messy curls. "The last slap wasn't enough and he thinks he needs to repeat it?"

"Keep your mouth shut and come with me," the knight commanded walking towards the bed and grabbing her by the waist, pulling her forcefully to her feet, "your insolent, witch."

He dragged her out of the chambers like she was a priceless prisoner, not Rumplestiltskin's heir, not King Maurice's own granddaughter, like she was no one and that made her blood boil in her veins, because she was pretty sure that not even the workers on the Dark Realm's mines were treated like that. Rose stumbled with every step and she could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears.

"My father will kill you all," she warned, but the guard ignored her.

They crossed the hallway, stopping in front of a big wooden wall with two soldiers standing on each side of it, accompanied by Keith. A knot formed on her throat, the fear coming up again.

"I'll be waiting for you later, doll," the former Sheriff of Nottingham announced, winking at her.

"I'd rather throw myself through the window." Rose muttered under her breath.

And she wasn't joking either, she had really been considering an escape by jumping from one of the windows. Unfortunately, she knew there wasn't a good perspective of survival. Rose let the guards open the door and the knight behind her almost threw her inside She righted herself on her feet. She lifted her chin and looked directly at King Maurice who was laying on his bed, looking even worse than he had been when she saw him earlier, like some mere hours were capable of destroying all of his health.

"So, you hate me, but you keep calling me all the time," she pointed out sarcastically. "This is a little contradictory, grandpa."

"You cursed me," Maurice accused in a husky voice.

"Cursed you?" Rose asked with a roll of her brown eyes. "I've already said that I'm not a witch. A sorceress, but not a witch. There is a slight difference."

However, as she was starting to realise, apparently, she had no voice there, because no one ever seemed to hear what she said. Rose remembered that her mother used to say that women had no chance and no opinion on her kingdom, and only now she understood it completely. She had been raised to be suborn, to show her opinion and never let others pull her down, and she couldn't even begin to imagine how terrible it was to have to keep your thoughts to yourself, because people didn't think you were worth hearing.

On his bed, King Maurice coughed various times as if he was choking on air.

"I was getting better from this illness, but ever since I found you, I feel like the life is fading from me."

"You were fated to die long before you found me on that road, King Maurice, and you were going to, even if you didn't decide to bring me here," Rose explained.

Narrowing his eyes, he dared a question, that came hoarsely through his lips: "You can really see the future?"

"I'm a seer, that's what I do. And before you ask, no, I can't control it," she shrugged, tapping her fingers together. "I only see tragedies in my dreams."

"Exactly like the daughter of a monster is supposed to do," the King whispered harshly.

Taking a deep breath, Rose felt herself about to lose her nerve. "Are you done, your Majesty? Because if that's all you wanted, then I'll go back to my little prison."

"You're not going anywhere," Maurice said, pointing at the chair near his bed, with another command. "Sit."

She breathed in, finding herself without any choice but to do as he said and take the seat near him, a sensation of déjà vu filling her, because she had seen this scene in her dreams, many, many times, even though it was always blurry, only showing her what really mattered - her grandfather's death. It was time for it, Rose thought darkly.

"I don't know what kind of amusement you find in bothering me," Rose said harshly, "but it's unfair."

"You're a demon's spawn. The daughter of a monster," Maurice said between coughs, just like he had done in her dreams. "You shouldn't exist!"

Shaking her head, the girl looked away from him, feeling crushed by those words, because she wanted to be seen for who she was and not by the weight of her father's reputation, and she hated that the King was too blind by hate to see that she was nothing but a girl. A gifted one, but not an abomination as he claimed her to be.

"So why don't you tell your men to kill me?"

For the first time, he let his glance fall from her to the coral sheets that were wrapped around him, the hate fading from his expression, being replaced by something that almost resembled regret.

"Because you look like her," he whispered.

"And as much as you want to think of her dead, you can't kill something that is like, Belle, right?" Rose questioned with sad eyes. "You can't kill a child of hers."

"I've seen the magic, the proof that you're that beast's own spawn," he stated, gesticulating in her direction, "but you don't seem to be. You look like my daughter."

Nibbling at her lower lip, she worried with the soft fabric of her gown. "If you care about her, King Maurice, then who my father is shouldn't matter to you."

Those were the sincerest words she'd spoken to him since they'd met, and she expected to hear more offenses, but his face had softened. He still looked like he was about to pass out, all pale and seeming to be having trouble breathing, but all that remained of his hate was some mistrust that still shone in his eyes.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"Sixteen."

"Just a girl," the King mumbled, coughing and pressing a cloth on his mouth. When he pulled it down, she could see the red marks of blood on it, which made a shiver pass through her body. "Can you talk about her? My Belle?"

"My father uses a spell to keep her young," Rose said with a sigh, a little smile playing on her lips. "She is the best mother I could wish for and everybody respects her and her wisdom."

King Maurice nodded, adding in the most uninterested way he could: "What about the dark children? Your siblings?"

 _The dark children_ , so that's what the whole world thought they were. Rose would give anything to be back to her bubble in her own home, where the rumours didn't reach her and everything was good and right. There, there was only her beloved family that would live and die for one another, where appearances didn't matter and darkness was only an old friend.

"Well, there is Gideon, who is the eldest, Aiden, and little Colette," she told her grandfather, remarking: "We are happy, despite everything we've faced."

"And you are a Rose," the King said, almost smiling. Just almost. "That was my wife's favourite flower. Mainly the red ones."

"It's mine too."

"Beautiful, but covered with thorns. Like you."

"Like me," she agreed, because for the first time something he said sounded like the truth.

Maurice started to cough again and this time he couldn't manage to cover his mouth with the cloth, so blood started to drip from the sides of it, and Rose watched the life fading from him.

"I release you from Avonlea. Tell Belle… That I am sorry," the King requested breathlessly. "Rose..."

His eyes fixed themselves on her and then, stopped moving. Sighing, Rose moved ahead, closing his eyelids and touching his forehead for a brief second before pulling away. "Rest in peace, grandpa," she whispered.

"The King is dead!" One of the guards proclaimed.

And just like that, she needed to hug herself at the thought that she had really predicted the death of another member of her family. If she got the chance now, Rose would have gone to Maleficent to find that old spell book Lady Heart had told her about, because she decided she didn't want these powers anymore. They were a curse, a curse she wanted no part of any longer.

The door slammed open, but the girl didn't even move, her glance on the King's dead body. She didn't need to turn around to know who had entered the room, she was pretty sure that man eager to claim his part on a deal would do so very quickly when it was time.

"Finally!" Keith exclaimed. "This poison took too long to work."

A gasp left Rose's mouth as she finally looked up to face the former sheriff. "You poisoned him?" She asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"You should know, doll, that nobody enjoys when a man tries to step back on a deal, and old Maurice was so bewitched by you that he was considering breaking the one he'd forged with me," he shrugged. "I couldn't allow that to happen."

In a minute, he was talking all soft and slow, like the cold blooded murderer he was, and in the other, he was grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out of the king's chambers, using all his force to contain her as she attempted to wrench away from his grasp.

"No! The king released me before he died," she tried to say. "All the guards witnessed it."

Keith took her back to the same chambers where she had been kept as a prisoner, closing the door behind them so they were alone, except for the same two idiots who had been watching her and seemed to be willing to watch him ruin her. The former sheriff pushed her to the bed, gripping her wrists and bringing them to the top of her head.

"But the guards don't have a king to follow anymore, and now," he grinned, "you shall be mine."

Rose's heart was tumbling in her chest, tears starting to fall from her eyes. She wasn't going to be saved in time and the fear of what Keith was about to do made her blood turn to ice in her veins. This wasn't supposed to happen, she was a lady, she was the Dark One's daughter, she deserved better. She deserved to be loved. Tossing herself again and kicking Keith with all of her strength, she tried to run away.

"I swear I wasn't joking, I'll will throw myself out the window before letting you touch me!" Rose shouted, behind clenched teeth.

If only that freaking black cuff wasn't blocking her magic, then she would have a chance to free herself, to show him that nobody messes with someone who was trained by the greatest sorcerer in the realm. But today she was helpless and when he managed to push her back against the mattress and pull her skirt up, all she could do was to keep fighting, even though she knew this was a battle she wasn't going to win.

"You won't get the chance," Keith answered, pulling down his trousers with just one hand. "Once your father denied me a night with his whore, now let's see how he reacts when I make you mine."

He managed to let his trousers fall down around his knees, exposing his erected member, and Rose looked away, because she didn't want to have any memory of his disgusting anatomy on her mind. It was already suffering enough to know what was about to happen and when he bent his body to hers, pressing her against the bed while holding her the stillest he could, she freaked out, because she couldn't let this happen.

The former sheriff had some trouble to part her legs, because she started to kick blindly. "Take your hands off me!"

"You have no power, dear," Keith reminded her, pulling her undergarments off and setting himself in place right above her.

"You will pay for this with your life." Rose promised, glancing at the man who were watching them. "All of you."

She felt something hard brushing against her inner thigh, more tears streaming down her cheeks as Keith moved to reach for her neck with his mouth. Rose closed her eyes tightly. Suddenly a gasp came out of the former sheriff's mouth, but it wasn't a pleasant one, it was a sound of pain, and his body smashed hers against the mattress just for a second before it was thrown out of the bed. Eyelids fluttering open, she saw Rumplestiltskin right in front of her, and Keith laid still on the floor by his feet, his neck hanging in a bizarre angle.

"Papa!" She exclaimed happily, sitting on the bed and throwing her arms around his waist.

"Aye, sweetheart, you're alright," he assured her, caressing her hair. "You're safe."

She wanted to speak more, to thank him and say that she knew that he would come for her, but the noise of the guards choking behind them made Rose turn around, noticing for the first time the other three people that had accompanied her father. Regina smashed the two hearts in her bare hands, the dust crumbling beneath her fingertips like wisps of smoke. She walked towards the bed giving a quick look at her exposed legs before pulling her skirt down further.

"There is no blood," the dark-haired woman informed them. "We arrived just in time, she remains untouched."

"Oh, Rose... " the boy with a bow and arrow hanging from his shoulders muttered.

Her eyes met his as a sob left her mouth. "Roland - " she cried, letting him approach and hug her, his heat warming her, taking away the coldness left from Keith's assault. "I want my mother."

Rumplestiltskin pushed him away and lifted his daughter in his arms like she was a helpless child. He still couldn't believe the scene he had walked into and how someone had dared to try doing something so horrible to his girl. But the Dark One knew something for certain, in that moment his urge to kill and give more into his darkness was growing too large to be ignored, and he was only stifling it, because he needed to look after his child.

"I'll take you to her," he whispered to Rose, letting his magic make them appear back at the Dark Castle.

The great hall was silent, and children must have been entertained by the maids, and his wife should be taking care of their injured son. In his arms, Rose was trembling and crying painfully. He glanced at Regina and her family as he started to climb up the stairs.

"Belle!" The imp called in despair. "Belle!"

When he reached the floor where the family bedrooms were, Rumplestiltkin could see his wife exiting Gideon's chambers and looking for him, her eyes growing wide when she saw that he was carrying their daughter in his arms with a whole retinue following them.

"Rumple - " she gasped, reaching for her husband with tears shinning in her eyes as she touched Rose's face. "My little girl!"

"Let's take her to her chambers," Rumplestiltskin said, gesticulating to the closed door near Gideon's chambers and making it open with magic.

Belle rushed inside and pulled the bed covers away so he could lay Rose against the mattress before they covered her. She was still crying and Rumple muttered a hurried explanation about everything that had happened in Avonlea to his wife. A haunted expression overtook her face, but Belle didn't break down in tears like he expected her to. She swallowed hard, nodding and telling him to take care of their guests who were watching them anxiously from the doorway.

The tiniest of the smiles passed through his lips as he thought of how much he still underestimated his wife. She was tougher than she appeared to be and sometimes he just forgot that. Rumplestiltskin watched her pull Rose into a tight hug, carding her fingers into their daughter's curled hair. He sighed, gesticulating for Regina and the others to step back into the hallway as he walked towards them, closing the door.

"No one will ever say a thing about what you saw in that room today. You all know what I am capable of. " the imp coerced, before turning his attention to his apprentice's son. "You boy, come with me."

Roland shrunk, muttering: "Alright."

His mother, however wasn't willing to cope with the Dark One. Regina knew that Rumple was still affected by what they saw in Avonlea, she knew the call of the darkness in someone's eyes when she saw it. After some years fighting it herself, the former Evil Queen could call herself a professional in recognizing an inter battle when she saw one, so she placed herself in front of Roland, a protective arm preventing him from following the imp.

"No, he won't."

"I won't kill him, Regina," Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes, waving his hand to make him and Roland vanish from the corridor and appear outside the castle, right at the front gardens.

He could see how nervous the boy was just to be alone with him, but Rumple started to walk, gesturing for him to follow and taking some moments to form the right question, because he didn't know how exactly to do it, or if he wanted to, but it was for Rose's sake, so he breathed in and put on his harshest face.

"How long have you been with my daughter?"

"What? I - " Roland tried to say, his cheeks flushing in a bright shade of red.

"I'm not a fool, boy. Just speak."

Tipping his fingers nervously around his bow, Roland confessed: "About three years."

"And for the sake to know for sure if I should make a potion for her right now or not, I need to know if you two have been intimate."

"No!" Roland said in a gasp. "I respect Rose, milord."

For the first time since they'd left Avonlea, Rumplestiltskin sighed in relief. He had reached his girl in time, and Keith had no time to do what he was intending to and although Rose's soul would need time for healing, at least she remained untouched.

"So, she is safe," he contemplated. "No blood, no mess."

"You saved her," the boy agreed.

There was a kind smile on his lips, one of those that only people that held a extremely goodness in their hearts could show, the kind of one Belle used to wear even when he was being a beast, unworthy of her. And now Rumplestiltskin realised that he feared that his children couldn't get the same kind of love he shared with their mother.

"Roland," the Dark One began, hesitantly, "will you still want her after what happened?"

"Why wouldn't I? That doesn't change a thing about Rose to me, sir, it only makes me feel disgusted of men like Nottingham."

Smiling he decided, that he might like Regina's son.

"You're not bad," Rumple dared to say, but still used his impish tone to do so, just to make sure that he still sounded a little threatening. "But I'll keep an eye on you and you'll come for dinner and talk about an engagement when she is eighteen."

"Oh, I - "

"Until then, Agathe will accompany you whenever you want to see my daughter."

Roland gave up trying to protest, instead he smiled and nodded. "Yes, milord."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:** I'm so sorry for the delay, but I hope you all enjoyed it._


	10. Chapter 10

_**Notes:** Yay, I'm back with this fic. I'm so sorry for the delay, but it won't happen again. We are having weekly updates from now on, so I hope there are still readers left to it after my big three months break. Oh, and just in case you haven't seen it I've started a collection of little flickets about what happened with the Dark One's family between this fic and Dark Lady, so if you can check it out later, if you want._

 _As always, thank you so much for reading!_

* * *

Rose was sat on the bed, curled with a blanket around her shoulders, Gideon sleeping on an armchair near the windows and Neal on another one, nearest to where she was, his fingers rubbing against the smooth skin of her hand. He had arrived that morning after receiving a letter from their father, telling everything that had happened. Rumplestiltskin sounded slightly desperate in it, his repetitive words showing how much he was still concerned, even though the situation was already over. Neal knew there was still much to be resolved, including the problems with the Dark Realm, and he needed to be there for his family now.

"It's hard to see you locked here all the time. Everybody wants you to smile again," he said to his sister.

"I can smile, I can get over it," Rose assured, brown eyes kind and attentive locked with his. "What happened will haunt me forever, Neal, but I'm strong enough to live with it. The problem is that as much as our whole family loves me, they all think I'm fragile now and _this_ , the look of pity on their faces, _this_ I can't take right now."

Neal waved his head positively, but his eyes flew to his younger brother sleeping on the other corner of the room. Their father had commented earlier that the boy didn't left Rose's side from the moment he opened his eyes and was informed she had been rescued, his guilty for being with her when she was kidnaped and not being able to help her, eating him alive as Gideon devoted every second of his day to take care of her.

"But you let him in," Neal said, pointing at him, with a movement of his head.

Rose pulled the blankets closer, smiling at the sight of her brother passed out on the chair, snoring slightly.

"Gideon is different. As much guilty as he is feeling, he believes in me."

"All of us do," he assured. "But I think I get what you're saying, that kid was always a tough one and he was always the first one to stand by you."

Dropping the blanket behind her, the girl slid from the bed and opened her arms to her eldest brother, letting him hug her tight.

"Thank you for coming, Neal, you enlightened my day. I may even come out to dinner and face everyone."

"That's my girl," the brother said tapping a finger on the top of her nose, making Rose giggle. "You know, I've always felt bad for me and Emma never getting to have more children after Henry, but I think I relish in having you all to look after. Papa and Belle had babies enough to fill any lack we might have."

A louder laugh left her mouth, because she knew Neal was right, they had a huge family and if it was up to her parents it would continue to get even larger, as long as they could keep conceiving children.

"Always the joker one, huh?"

Neal showed her a grin, kissing the top of her head before walking to the door. "See you later, little flower."

"See you," Rose returned.

She looked around her room, thinking about what to do next, decided to not stay inside there today. Rose went to the closet, starting to pass her fingers through the dresses until she picked two, placing each of them in front of her body, wondering which looked better in her.

"Choosing a gown?" Gideon's sleepy voice asked from behind Rose.

When the girl turned around she saw him standing by the closet's door, smiling lazily at her. Rose lifted the gowns a little for him to get a better look.

"Yeah, which one do you like best?"

"Lavender. It always looked great on you," Gideon opined and she discarded the emerald one, putting it back on its place. "I've heard papa has plans of marrying you with Roland."

"Oh, don't remind me of that," she said with an incredulous shook of her head. "I'm glad I don't need to hid it anymore, but I'm sixteen and I don't want to think about marriage just now."

A great part of her was really grateful for what Roland had done, claiming her as his betrothed, to protect her from eventual rumours that people might spread about her, even though most of the people who had witnessed what happened in Avonlea were dead or not interested in ruining her reputation. But it also meant that now Rumplestiltskin was aware of everything and even if he hadn't said a bad thing about that, and her mother actually said he was pretty happy with Roland's attitude, it seemed he was already making plans for a future she didn't want to have just now.

"I know," her brother muttered.

"Gideon," Rose started, nibbling at her lip, "I've made a decision."

"What is it, sweet?" he asked, coming to stand behind her, rubbing at her back as her fingers traced the soft fabric of the gown she was holding.

Rose had a lot of time to think when she was locked in there, covering herself with all those blankets as if they were shields, protecting her from all the bad in the world. And she was just so truly broken that Rose didn't even want to sleep for a while, afraid that she would find more terror in her dreams than she did awaken. But, gratefully no visions had tormented her the past few weeks.

"I want to go after Maleficent and find that spell book Lady Heart talked about. Maybe it's my only chance of get rid of my visions," she confessed. "Will you help me?"

The hesitance was clear in his eyes, but Gideon wasn't going to let her down now, so he simply nodded, kissing her cheek. "Whatever you wish."

Smiling, she placed the lavender gown on a chair, looking back at him with a question shinning in her eyes. "I haven't seen Roderick around. Have you told him about what happened?"

"The last time we spoke was at Snow's castle. I - " Gideon's lips tightened in a thin line. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

Something wasn't right and Rose knew it pretty well, but as much as Gideon and her teased one another the whole time, they also respected when silence was required, so she wasn't going to question him just now.

"Alright," she waved her head positively. "Can you walk me to dinner after I change?"

"Of course."

* * *

Belle brushed her hair with care, her eyes lost in an invisible point on the wall, reddish as she was tired of the sleepless nights, when she could only think about how much they were falling. She heard the door of her chambers opening, but didn't made any movement that indicated she actually did, her husband walked slowly towards her, placing his thick hands on her shoulders, stroking down her arms.

"We need to talk," Rumplestiltskin said as gently as he could, nose brushing against her hair as he sniffed her floral essence.

"About what?"

"Avonlea," the imp answered, causing a shiver to pass through her body. "I need to know what do you want me to do, the kingdom is falling."

Belle shook her head, tears coming to her eyes at the thought of which horrible things that place put her daughter through. A bad her father caused. Rose had insisted in saying that in the end, King Maurice had released her and asked the girl to say to Belle that he was sorry for everything, so what Keith did have nothing to do with Maurice in the end, but she couldn't help blaming her deceased father for this. Her baby girl had almost been raped and that was something nobody would ever be able to erase from her memory, so Belle's heart ached with the pain of a mother that felt its child's scars.

"Let it be, Rumple," the Dark Lady whispered.

"Let it be?" he repeated incredulously, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his. "But Belle, you sacrificed your own freedom for your home and your people. You made a deal with me so they all could live. Are you willing to see your own heroic efforts go to waste?"

A bitter laugh came from her throat. _Heroic efforts_ , she didn't give a damn about it anymore, everything Belle wanted was to keep her family safe and maybe with some lucky, be fertile again. But a hero? She didn't even know the meaning of that word anymore, because along the years she saw many people she considered heroes do horrible things and people that just like her husband were considered villains, show themselves more good than they should.

People were just people, sometimes they made mistakes, sometimes they made the right thing and she wasn't willing to be anything more than human. And in that moment, she was choosing to be the villain if that was what she had to be, because Belle was going to be as selfish as she had to if that was what it takes to protect the ones she loved. The lady cupped her husband's cheek, giving him the sweetest look she could at the moment.

"My love, when we made that deal, I had nothing to lose, but now I have," Belle began. "Rumple, you gave me a lovely life and amazing children. Magic has its price and we have already payed enough. I wouldn't bear losing anything else."

Rumplestiltskin leaned against her touch kissing her wrist with a preoccupied expression. "Darling, you lost that beautiful light in your eyes those last few days and I hate to see you in such pain."

"I'm tired, so tired of all these dark days," she complained, closing her eyes tight and feeling his arms come around her. "I just want the tiniest happiness to assure me this will soon pass."

"It will, Belle, I promise you it will," the Dark One muttered against her neck hugging her with tenderness, before pulling away and standing up. "Come with me, let's enjoy a delicious dinner with our family."

Belle looked up at her handsome husband, that hadn't stopped trying to make everyone feel better recently. He was the reason she hadn't simply broken down into tears and curled herself in a corner yet, they spent the days caring for their children and the nights fixing the other's soul, cuddling in silence or mumbling words of encouragement and hope. She rose on her feet, straightening her dress and pressing a kiss on the imp's lips.

"I love you, Rumple."

"And I love you too, sweetheart," he replied as devoted as the first time he said those words.

He took her by the hand hooking her arm on his and leading Belle through the corridors of their castle, the voices on the dining hall reaching them at the staircase. They smiled weakly at each other as they entered the hall to find the children sat by the spinning wheel speaking loudly as Neal and Emma watched them. When Lucy set eyes in them, she jumped from the stool and ran to Rumple.

"Great-grandpa, can you teach me how to spin?"

"Why not?" He replied picking her from the floor and letting Belle play with her dark-brown hair. "We can do it tomorrow morning, little Lucy."

Making a gesture to the already full table's direction, he led the family to their places, helping the children to set themselves.

"I've got a letter from Henry. He was in Wonderland," Neal informed.

"Wonderland?" Belle repeated. "What is he doing there?"

"There were clues on that place," the young man explained.

"Oh," the lady grumbled, starting to serve Colette as Rumple did the same for Chip.

Emma got busy helping Lucy with the food and everybody was pretty distracted when the other two members of the family came from the right tower.

"Look who is here," Gideon announced, waving a hand in his sister's direction.

A silence took the hall, all of them starring surprised at Rose, who was standing right there for the first time since she was rescued from Avonlea, her hair perfectly braided and an elegant lavender dress adorning her, alongside with some golden jewels. Rumplestiltskin gasped and left Chip's plate on the table in front of him as he rushed to hug his daughter.

"It is so good to see you around," the Dark One whispered, dragging her to the dining table and pulling her a chair. "You'll sit by your father's side today."

"This is my seat!" Gideon and Neal simultaneously said.

"For now, it's Rose's," Rumple declared.

Rose sighed, cheeks flushing, because never before she had taken the chair at their father's left side, always designed to the eldest brother present on the dinners. "You know that I don't really need special treatment, right?"

"Don't be silly," Belle said, touching her face affectionally "this is not special treatment, we are just happy that you decided to eat with us."

"I just want everybody acting normally, alright?" Rose almost begged. "Today is the first day of forever to me, and if forever sounds awkward, I might go back to my chambers."

Emma took her seat on the distant end of the table and cleaned her throat. "Anyone wants potatoes?"

Neal laughed and Rose thought that, in that night her sister-in-law was one of her favourite persons.

* * *

Even though the snow had melted and the spring arrived the Enchanted Forest, the night was still cold, a remaining from those cruel white days that killed half of the commoners all around the realm. Gideon was wearing a warm heavy cloak that protected him from the wind, but a little further away, outside the small shack, his boyfriend was trembling in his thin clothes, while he worked with an axe.

"Getting some firewood?"

Roderick jumped, startled, dropping the axe in a weird position on the piece of wood.

"Gid!" He exclaimed, rushing to the Dark One's son and pressing his lips needy against his as they melted in a heated kiss before Roderick's anxiety for information made him pull away. "Dear gods, where have you been? I was dying with concern."

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything," Gideon answered playing with his dark hair, "but everything happened really fast, my mama kept me in bed for days, then there was Rose and..."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Roderick interrupted. "Did you fell ill?"

Gideon denied with a movement of his head. He hadn't yet talked to anyone about the things that had happened those last few days, but his parents and Rose, however he owned his boyfriend an explanation and maybe, he thought, if he babbled enough about those events, it didn't seem so terrifying to do what he had come there for.

"Rod, after I sent you home from Queen Snow's castle, my sister and I took the road and were attacked," Gideon told him. "I tried really hard to fight with our attackers, but they had powerful magic and I wasn't strong enough. I got stabbed and Rose was kidnaped."

"Are you alright now?" Roderick asked touching his face as if he could find any bruises there. "And what about your sister?"

His heart was running fast on his chest, pressing his ribs painfully. He felt nauseous whenever he thought about Rose alone in Avonlea, because he still felt guilty and it was killing him inside.

"I'm fine and my father rescued her, brought her home, but he wasn't quick enough to spare her from a great trauma," he confessed, teeth clenched and jaw tightened. "A vile, repugnant man tried to rape my little sister."

"Oh, Gideon - " Roderick gasped and tried reach for him, but the boy pulled away, eyes filled with unshed tears.

"It was my fault. I couldn't do anything to keep her safe."

Grabbing his hand, Roderick brought it to his chest, pressing his fingers against the cold fabric of his shirt. Gideon could feel his rapid heartbeat through it, and he wanted more than anything to kiss him again, then take him to the old barn where their first encounters had happened, away from his aunt Ruby's eyes, when they met at the village.

"Listen to me, your fool. That was not your fault, alright?"

"Roderick... You're too good for me," Gideon muttered, "too kind."

A smile passed his lips, one which's glow could be able to enlighten the whole realm. "I only see you for who you are."

So, this is what being in love looks like, Gideon thought, enchanted. He couldn't do this anymore, if he stayed there for another second, he wasn't going to do what he must, so he waved a hand a made a basket full of food appear, handing it to Roderick.

"There is food here for your family to survive the next few weeks. I shall send someone with more soon," he explained.

Roderick's eyebrow's narrowed. "Why?"

Gideon took a deep breath, but found courage enough to say: "Because we are not seeing each other again."

Suddenly the forest seemed too small for the two of them, Roderick's puzzled expression starting to get filled with comprehension as things made sense in his mind.

"What do you mean? Are you breaking up with me?"

"Yes," Gideon confirmed, his lips trembling and his face contracting in a sad frown.

"But why?" He asked, completely confused. "I thought we were in love. I thought you cared about me."

Oh, and he didn't understood half of Gideon's feelings for him. He had never felt the same for anyone before he met Roderick, maybe because he was looking for love in all the wrong places, because the first time his heart raced at that boy's smile, he knew that he never truly liked girls.

"I do, Roderick. I care about you more than I care about myself," he said sincerely, "and I love you so much that it is almost hurting me to stand right here and do this, but I need to."

"So, stop it! You don't need to do anything. I know terrible things happened to you these past few days, but you just need to calm down and let me help you," Roderick begged, taking his hand back into his and pointing at the shack with a movement of his chin. "Let's get inside, get some tea."

Shaking his head, Gideon refused taking some steps away from him to overcome every physic contact between them. "Not everything gets better with tea, Rod, and right now I have to focus on my family. Stand by them."

"And you need to push me away to do this?"

Roderick was getting angry and he had all the rights to, but that doesn't meant Gideon wasn't getting hurt at each annoyed glance the boy shot at him.

"Please, Rod, do not make things worse," the Dark One's son pleaded.

"It's you who is being all insane and have to stop!"

Things weren't going to end up the way he planned if Roderick kept insisting in their relationship like he was doing now, and truth be told, there wouldn't be nothing in this world that would be able to convince him to get away from that boy if it wasn't for the fact that Gideon knew if they continued that relationship, Roderick would be in danger. His whole family was already hunted all around the realm for who their father was and he had already four siblings to worry about, not to count his parents and the rest of their family. He didn't need to add Rod to that list.

Gideon breathed in and pulled on a serious, cruel mask as he spoke: "I don't want you anymore."

"Two minutes ago, you said you loved me!" Roderick gasped.

"Loving someone and wanting them are two very different things," Gideon continued as coldly as he could. "I care about you, as a friend, almost as family, but not like we used to be anymore."

The disbelief was clear on Roderick's face, he shook his head, snorting.

"Listen to yourself, you're not even making sense," he shouted out. "Now, you want to go on with this madness? Then good. And I don't need you to provide for my family, I can do this myself."

Roderick stretched his hand, placing the basket he had brought, back on Gideon's hand, pushing it against him when the taller boy tried to return it.

"We both know that this is a lie."

"As we both know that you're being an utterly idiot," Roderick answered harshly, grabbing the firewood and walking back to his house. "Goodbye, Gideon."

The Dark One's son stood there for a brief moment, watching him go and allowing some fresh tears to ran down his face, until Roderick had disappeared inside the shack and he made the gold cloud of smoke take him back to his castle.

Roderick, otherwise, went straight inside the shack, slamming the door shut behind him and inhaling deeply a couple of times before turning around to see his mother, that hadn't put a foot on the floor since the winter began, standing right behind him, legs trembling with the effort and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He almost gasped when he saw that, in their small dining table, there was a real banquet and the basket Gideon had given him, had mysteriously appeared in the counter.

"He is just trying to protect you, you know?" The mother said. "His family is in constant danger and he doesn't want you to take any risks by being linked to him."

Nodding, Roderick passed an arm through her shoulders and helped her to get back to the bed. His parents knew everything about Gideon right from the very start and they didn't care about which choices of lovers their son made, as long as he was happy. And Gideon had become one of their favourite persons alive, since he started to bring food and even offered to get better clothes and a warmer house for them. But Roderick and his parents knew the magic came with a price and never accepted anything more than they needed to survive.

"Yeah, I know, mama," he said, bitterly. "But he is a fool."

His mother cupped his cheek, stroking it with her calloused thumb. She looked older than she was, committed by the illness for too long.

"When two people are destined to be together, son, they find their way back to each other, so if Gideon truly belongs to you, he will eventually come back."

* * *

Agathe sneaked through the village, hidden by her black cloak and knocked repeatedly on Lady Heart's door. The chestnut-haired woman opened it using her magic, still sat by a small table, a displeased look on her face as she glanced up at the blonde maid.

"We have a deal, remember?" Lady Heart said, harshly. "Where were you, girl?"

Shrinking, Agathe walked towards her, closing the door carefully behind, a little frightened of which the consequences of not keeping her words might be.

"I'm sorry, things happened and I couldn't get away from the castle!" She quickly excused herself.

"Well, you're my informant, be useful. What happened?"

Hesitantly taking the seat next to her, Agathe started to tell her everything that had happened with Rumplestiltskin's family along the last few weeks, narrating the stories she has heard her master and lady discussing many times between whispers. Those had been odd days and she had never seen Belle look more fragile and strong at the same time, she seemed to be commanded by her instincts and sounded incredible harshly and cruel, whenever Agathe spoke to her or someone said just the wrong thing, which was just another reason why she wanted to get rid of her so badly.

"That's interesting," Lady Heart said with a smile. "So, I assume you haven't used the lust potion yet, right?"

"No," Agathe shook her head.

A languid wicked smile took the chestnut-haired woman's lips, as she made a bottle of wine appear in front of them and served two glasses, offering one to Agathe and tapping them together.

"Do it, dear, and then let's watch as the things burn."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Notes:** Hey, everyone, I'm so, so happy that The Bookshop Owner was nomineed for T.E.A.! Thank you so much, you are incredible._

 _So, I was asked a while ago about Agathe's appearence and only recently I've found a perfect cast for her, the actress Nell Hudson, who you might know as Laoghaire from Outlander or Skerrett from Victoria. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter._

* * *

Belle's absence in the castle was pure torture to Rumplestiltskin. Truth be told, he didn't know what to do without her anymore, every room seemed empty without her presence, the maids annoyed him twice as they usually did and his only consolation was to take care of his children. He had sent Gideon and Rose with her to Ruby's house, thinking it might be good for them to distract their minds, after all the distress they had been through during the last few weeks, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to madly miss them. Chip was starting learning magic and Colette was getting better with her reading lessons, and it was a joy for him to watch his precious children evolve this way.

Fatherhood was something special for him. Ever since he held his first-born, Baelfire, in his arms for the very first time, he knew this kind of love was something that couldn't be replaced and would never end. He spent hours in the library with the younglings, telling stories for them, just like their mother would do, but a part of his mind couldn't help be very far away from there, worrying about his beloved wife, who had been too sad and broken-hearted lately. They were currently going through one of the worse times they ever faced, and that was slowly changing her, making her light fade away and he wished he could do something for her, that he could prevent them from going through those hard paths, and give her everything she wanted, but unfortunately, he couldn't.

However, maybe Ruby could cheer her up a little, so when she came back they could find a way to move on together, he could take her somewhere new, show her interesting things and exotic food, they could go up for an adventure like they hadn't done in quite a while, then they could make love in a place where they wouldn't be interrupted and this time, maybe his seed grew inside her again, so he could see that bright smile come to her face, when she realised they were going to have another baby. _Yes_ , that would be perfect and he could only hold on to that fantasy to enlighten his days while she was away.

He stood in the gardens, watching as Chip tried to perform the newest spell Rumple had been teaching him, with Colette by his side, her head resting on his leg as her small fingers toyed with the curls of her own hair. Chip narrowed his eyes, his palm opened in front of his body and tiny translucid amber flames started to appear, before a little bird passed flying in front of him and the boy blinked, letting the fire die.

"Concentration, Aiden," the imp bounced.

"Oh, you never call him that," Colette pointed out.

"It's his real name and we use it when it's needed," Rumplestiltskin said, bending so he could pick his youngest daughter from the floor, her green-gold skin shining in the bright lights of the afternoon. "What about you and I start with some magic lessons too?"

Chip ignored them, focussing on his open hand again, trying to block his father and sister's voice, to do one of the most exciting spells he had learned, ever since Rumple had started teaching magic to him.

The girl giggled in her father's arms. "Really?"

"Really, little princess," Rumplestiltskin confirmed, kissing the top of her head, before turning back to his son. "Let's try again, Chip."

But the boy was already doing it, his gaze fixed in him palm as the flames started to rise up again, very slowly and totally out of practice, but they were still there, growing to form a fire ball that started to glow with power and heat. A happy sound left Chip, his shiny blue eyes, the very same ones his mother had, reflecting the flames as a big smile appeared in his lips.

"I did it, papa!"

"Aye," the imp mumbled, proudly, kneeling by his side to extinguish the fire, before Chip's inexperience could end up harming him, "you did it my boy."

Throwing his arms around his father's neck, Chip caused Rumplestiltskin to fall on his back, the two children laughing as they smashed him, one of them in each side, Colette's long hair covering his face. The imp giggled as he struggled to sit up, snuggling his son and daughter close to him, knowing that if anyone ever present this, his reputation as the cruel and terrifying Dark One would be lost, but he wasn't carrying about it in that moment, because he had the most precious things in the world curled in his embrace and he could have stayed there forever, grateful for some light between the darkness.

"I miss mama, when is she coming back?"

"Soon, my love, I promise you."

He tapped a finger on the top of Colette's nose, making her giggle again and took the children from his lap, so he could stand up before offering a hand to each of them, balancing their arms and making a bunch of butterflies appear with magic for the pair to chase around together, not untucking their hands from his, while they did so.

Inside the Dark Castle, Agathe closed the curtains, still hearing their happy laughs and looked around her chambers, large, comfortable, everything she could have asked for after the terrible life she faced at the Dark Realm, thinking that maybe if Fiona's cruel advices didn't keep coming up to her mind, she could have been grateful for what she had, but Agathe's heart beat with the need of something even better, something she knew she could conquer. The Black Fairy had always said that you must take what you want or it will never come at free will to you, and she took it as a motto as she walked to her desk and opened the drawer and picked one of the potions she had hidden inside there.

Lady Belle being away from the castle, brought her the perfect opportunity to use it, but she hadn't done it yet, because Rumplestiltskin was always around his children, however she had learned his new routine and knew he was going to send the wee ones to their chambers soon with Mrs. Potts, then he would ask for tea before disappearing into the laboratory for gods knows how many time. That was when her plan must be put in action and she should not fail.

* * *

The last thing he wanted was to be back to the village, but apparently Gideon had been picked as his mother's personal body guard from now on. Not that he did not understand his father's worries and very reasons to not wanting her traveling alone, but he wasn't feeling much confidence in himself those days, although he knew that he would do whatever it takes to protect his family. He would gladly have accompanied his mother and sister wherever they wished to go, however, his aunt Ruby lived near Roderick's house and he really didn't need to accidentally ran on him now.

Spending a whole week with six cheerful women wasn't exactly what he was planning too, but he had to admit, it was better than to be locked inside his chambers, ruminating how he had let go of the person who might have been the love of his life.

They had magicked themselves to the village, since Rumplestiltskin didn't trust travelling with carriages anymore and Gideon had to admit, neither did he, so the three of them appeared right in front of Ruby's door. He could take his mother's glance laying on the woods behind them and he knew that at some point in this trip, she would sneak to the place where the stone was still placed, even after fifteen years, the one where his father had buried a dead baby that should have been a brother or sister for them. Belle never truly got over it and when Gideon thought this was his grandmother Fiona's fault, it only made him hate her more than he already did.

Ruby's house wasn't exactly a place full of happy memories for his family, but he was still struggling to find one that was, so he placed an arm on his mother's shoulders and lead her to the door, knocking softly. Granny opened it a moment later, smiling at them and inviting the guests to get in to where Ruby and Dorothy were sat by the breakfast table with their adoptive daughter, Emerald, sat between them. By the moment she saw them, the wolf woman stood up and ran to meet Belle.

"It is so good to see you!" Ruby had said, wrapping her arms tightly around his mother.

"You too," Belle replied with a grin.

It was good to see her smiling again. Sometimes, it was kind of weird to have a mother that appeared to be only a few years older than him, but Belle's remaining youth wasn't able to eclipse her motherly nature in any way, because her age was show in the wisdom of her words and gestures, however ever since she saw him bleeding on the entryway, Belle seemed to have aged some years. The traces of her face were sadder, her eyes distant, but now the bubbliness of her beautiful personality was back and everything Gideon wanted to do was to push his aunt Ruby away and hug her, but he remained where he was.

Ruby released Belle and went to Rose as his mother greeted Dorothy, Emerald and Granny.

His sister's features were also illuminated, even though he knew the grin on her lips was forced. She was feeling a lot better than she was at the day their father brought her home, but she didn't want to make a trip that soon.

"Oh, little beauty, I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you," Ruby said, stroking her hair, "men suck."

"Hey!" Gideon shout as if offended, but he clearly wasn't, he only wished to get Rose out of focus.

"Not all of them," Ruby completed, finally reaching up to hug him.

He didn't understand people's necessity of hugging everyone when visitors arrived, maybe because his own father was always complaining about that and absented himself from such a thing. Gideon might not be as grumpy as the Dark One was, but he was going through a hard time and that was affecting him, however he hugged his aunt Ruby back with all the tenderness he had.

"Granny made apple pie," Emerald said, pointing at the small dining room where the pie was waiting for them.

"Come on," Granny invited, "I'll serve you."

Everybody followed them, expect for Ruby that stood near to Gideon with a dangerous smirk playing on her lips, which indicated she was about to say something that he wasn't going to like and unfortunately, he was right about it.

"How is Roderick?"

"What?" He almost choked with the word, desperately looking around to confirm there was no one near to hear it, and that Belle was probably too entertained in the conversation going on the other room, to even notice they had stayed behind.

Ruby understood perfectly what his sudden wide eyes and his nervous glances meant and she slapped his arm firmly.

"Gideon! Haven't you told your mother yet?"

His cheeks blushed. "Told her what? There is nothing to tell!"

"Oh, no?" She arched an eyebrow for him. "So, the boy desperately knocking on my door every single day ever since you were attacked, looking for news is just a worried friend?"

"Yeah," Gideon lied.

Rolling her eyes, Ruby dragged him outside, where they could continue discussing this without the risk of anyone hearing them.

"Don't play me dumb. I have been afraid of telling Granny about Dorothy too, I know how those things work."

"Aunt Ruby!"

"Tell her, Gideon," the wolf woman continued, kindly. "Belle will be happy that you've found somebody to love."

He knew that it might be truth, as his mother was a loving woman who only wished for other people's happiness, and before Prince Neal's birthday party, he was gathering courage to tell it to her, as he knew that with his father willing to marry him with a highborn lady, he'd better rush before it was too late and he found himself engaged to someone he would never be able to love. But now, his family would never know Roderick, because they would never be a couple again.

"There is nothing to tell anymore, we broke up," Gideon confessed, looking down at the grass.

"Why?"

"It just wasn't right for us," he shrugged. "Now can we please move on?"

Shaking her head, Ruby denied. "He came here every day, I'm not lying. I wrote a letter to your mom on the second time he appeared, and she told me what happened, but also said that no one should know about it, so as a loyal friend I didn't tell him anything, but I felt pity for the boy."

A silly smile came to fill his lips as he imagined a preoccupied Roderick coming here to this house to look for news about him. They hadn't spent much nights apart after they started that relationship, because Gideon always used his magic to transport the other boy from his chambers to the old shack where Roderick's family lived.

"Oh, that sweet fool," he contemplated.

"Go talk to him, Gid," Ruby said touching his cheek affectionally. "I'll cover for you."

"No, we break up for good, aunt Ruby."

Sighing and knowing that she wasn't going to win that fight, the wolf woman nodded. "Alright, just make sure you'll not regret it."

She entered the house, leaving Gideon there alone, to think about the mistake he might have done, until Rose appeared, sitting by his side near the three to where he had dragged himself.

"Are you alright?"

"Just fine," he confirmed.

Rose laid her head on his shoulder, getting his hand and enlacing it with hers. The proximity between them was one of the most precious things to him, because his little sister was also his best friend and he would do anything for her.

"Mama it's not, she is so sad…" Rose bounced.

"Ruby can make her laugh," Gideon pointed out. "Now, what about our plan?"

He would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried about their mother too, but Gideon needed to keep Rose's mind away from those matters from now.

"I'll meet Grace later, she said her father have a map that might help us."

"I'm going with you," Gideon assured, bringing her hand up so he could kiss it before standing up and bringing his sister with him.

A frown formed on her face. "Oh, no, you're not."

That she was stubborn, he knew very well, but Gideon wasn't expecting her to be willing to risk herself after what happened, especially because now they knew that people all around the realms were looking for ways to fight against people who beard magic like them, and the black cuff King Maurice had placed on her wrist was the very proof of that.

"Rose, sweet, the last time you were alone - "

"I was attacked, yes, I know, but I'm not going to restrain my life because of that," Rose said, fiercely, lifting her chin. "Besides, Roland is coming."

"I see, I'm being replaced by Roland."

"No, you're not," she guaranteed. "You're my brother and the best one I could ask for, but he is my boyfriend and I need to see him too, just like you need to see Roderick."

His heart skipped a beat, because he told Ruby the truth but not yet his sister and she was the one that had been by his side the whole time, supporting every decision he made. He had to be honest with her.

"Rose," Gideon breathed the name as if it was the air he so needed to live. "I broke up with him."

"What? Why?"

"He was in danger near me, you know it, sis."

Closing her eyes, Rose inhaled deeply, placing both hands on his arms, stroking him through the brown fabric of his coat.

"Brother, Roderick is not stupid, he knew what he was up to the moment you two started this relationship," Rose muttered emphatically. "Our family will always be in danger and you can't let it interfere in your happiness, or you'll never get it."

"I know, but I can't bear losing him this way, Rose. If something happened to Roderick because of me - "

"You love him," his sister marvelled, "it's normal to care too much, but you can't push him away because you're afraid."

"This is a decision I've already made and there is nothing I can say now to fix things between us."

"Oh, Gideon!"

Rose threw her arms around his neck and he had to pick her from the floor, because she was a petite person and he, a tall man, so that was the only way she didn't seem to be hanging like a necklace. Gideon wrapped her tightly in his embrace, letting her warmness console him, before he could put her down to face her beautiful brown eyes that mirrored his.

"Does mother know that Roland is coming?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah, she thinks it will be good for me."

"Ok, just be careful, alright?" Gideon begged. "I also can't bear losing you."

A smirk played on her lips, as she declared: "I love you too, brother."

* * *

As expected, after dinner, Rumplestiltskin entertained his children with the spinning wheel until Colette fell asleep in his arms and Chip's eyes were struggling to keep open. The imp rose on his feet, lifting the little girl and gesticulating for Mrs. Potts to take the boy, and the two of them led the kids to the tower where their chambers were set. Agathe stood there, waiting for his return and hoping that just like Mr. Dove, Mrs. Potts was going to sleep now.

The Dark One came back some moments later, sitting on his usual chair by the head of the dining table and asking her for a cup of tea. Smiling, the maid nodded, going straight to the kitchen to prepare the tea, taking off the small bottle with the lust potion from the place where she had hidden it and pouring it on the teapot. She headed back to the dining hall, trying to not have a too bright smile on her lips, as she did it and served Rumplestiltskin, in the old chipped cup he so cherished.

"Thank you, Agathe," the imp said, lifting it to his lips. "I was in need of some warm tea and a great rest."

"Are you tired, master?"

"Oh, I most certainly am. A whole day chasing after the wee ones can drain out all your energy."

He took another sip of it and leaned on the chair. Agathe didn't know exactly what she was expecting, but it clearly wasn't for him to keep slowly drinking the tea with a distant expression, as if his mind wasn't even there. She thought it might work at the first sip, that by the moment he tasted the mixed potion, he would stand up and pull her closer. However, nothing seemed to change.

Maybe the potion needed some time to work, or maybe Lady Heart was wrong and the thing didn't make any effect in someone as powerful as the Dark One, so when he finished the cup, thanked her again and made his way to the left tower, probably going to the lab, she almost started crying, however, decided to give it sometime to prove its effects. Agathe took the dishes back to the kitchen and washed them, waiting for some anxious moments before tiptoeing upstairs.

Hoping the potion might have be doing its magic and she may end her night in her master's arms, Agathe looked for the laboratory, even though she knew that it was a place totally forbidden for the maids and butler when their presence was not required.

The first thing she heard was a muffled whimper coming from behind the closed door, which she thought was weird, but Agathe kept going and carefully grabbed the knob and opened a crack of it to peek a look inside.

It was dark, only a couple of torches lightening the room and she could see Rumplestiltskin sat on the arm chair near the windows, lady Belle's favourite place to curl herself in and watch as he prepared his potions. Agathe knew that he could have detected her presence and transformed her into a toad, if he was aware of her sneaking up there, but his eyes were closed and he seemed too lost to even notice her. That was when she realised that he had something in his hands, something rather large and stiff that was difficult to distinguish on the low lights, but Agathe swallowed when he emitted a groan that made her blush, finally understanding that he was pleasuring himself.

She watched with wide eyes as he pumped himself eagerly and bit down her lip to think the potion was really working. Agathe undid the laces of her bodice, hearing the heavy breaths and sinful moans that were leaving her master's mouth, already planning to enter there and offer herself to help him, when something stopped her.

"Belle," Rumplestiltskin groaned deeply, "I love you so much, sweetheart."

That should be wrong, she must have misheard him, he couldn't be doing that while thinking about his boring wife, could him? The potion was made for her, he should desire _her_ , not that clumsy lady.

"Belle!"

Agathe witnessed while a thick layer of seed spurt from him and the imp collapsed back against the chair, having coming with his wife's name on his lips. _It hadn't worked_ , he loved her too much to cheat on her even under the effects of such a powerful potion. Closing her bodice again, Agathe ran downstairs, crying, disappointed and broken-hearted.

* * *

It was already late when she left Ruby's house again, but Rose wasn't the kind of person that would risk doing anything suspicious during the day, when the sun's light could easily reveal her to whoever might be around. If one thing her father had taught her well, was how to be clever enough, when it came of those matters, he wouldn't be the Dark One for so long if he wasn't a smart person. She clipped her cloak, grabbed a lamp and waited for her boyfriend's arrival, for what her mother thought to be a romantic walk through the woods. Poor Belle, was so out of her mind that hadn't even though about sending anyone to follow them and assure that Rose wasn't going to do anything wrong.

She was sad to know that part of her mother's pain had come from that stupid attack on the road, but she was willing to make things better and Rose was going to start by riding herself from those horrible visions. Someone covered her eyes, causing a giggle left her.

"Roland," she guessed.

The boy took his hands from her eyes and pulled her into a kiss, a soft, sweet, tender one that made Rose's heart melt for how much he was gentle with her.

"How are you feeling?"

"It was a sunny day," Rose shrugged, "it makes me happy."

He offered his arm for her to take and lead their way through the village, where they were to find the Mad Hatter's house. It was the first time they saw each other after the day she was rescued from Avonlea and Rose had been reluctant in meeting him again, because she felt a little ashamed for the image he had gotten from her when they entered that damn bedroom. But she also knew that Roland was a sweetheart who cared nothing about Keith's attempt to assault her, he only wished to have Rose safe again.

"What about your visions?" He asked, distracted.

"I had one last night, but it was an old one that probably will still take some time to happen."

"It's blurry?"

"Very confusing," she said and it wasn't a lie, even though she was omitting the fact that it was about Lucy, but Rose hadn't confessed to anyone but her brother that she dreamed of their grand-niece's fate and for now, she'd rather have this secret hidden away. "So, I need to ask, how did your parents reacted when you said to my father that we have a compromise?"

Roland laughed, looking at her with the corner of his eyes. "Mom freaked out. She said I'm too young and irresponsible to know what I want just now."

"I'm sorry, but she is right."

That was something Rose had told him multiple times in different occasions but he pretended not to hear. Stupid darling Roland, so innocent to actually realise what he was getting himself into, by assuming his relationship with the Dark One's daughter.

"Then," he continued, his cheeks burning with colour, "my dad took me for a walk and started to talk about marriage and coupling."

"Oh, gods!" Rose guffawed.

"Awkward, very awkward conversation," Roland grumbled, shaking his head as if to try getting the remembrance out of his head. "I blushed the whole time."

A wicked smile took Rose's lips as she leaned on him to whisper: "At least now you have some useful information for the future."

She hadn't allowed herself to think about any possible lovemaking, especially after what just happened to her in Avonlea and she was pretty sure it would take her a long time to heal her soul enough to not freak out at any man's advance, but that didn't mean she didn't want to wonder what it would be like with Roland. Rose wasn't a fool and had read enough books that totally contradicted what society says about woman being mere reproduction objects, she knew that when done the right way, coupling could be good for both parts.

"No one really wants to get any useful information from their parents," Roland answered with a grin.

"Guess not."

"But, well, the only thing that matters to me now is that I'm sure that someday you'll be mine,"

Rose stopped walking, the darkness of the night, a comforting for the words she was about to say. No one was around, the commoners already retired to their own homes, the only people wandering around there, far from where they were and minding their own secret business.

"I'm already yours, Roland," she said looking down at his hand, "I have always been."

Pulling her into a hug, Roland kissed every part of her that he could reach, her hair, her face, her neck and finally her lips. They had spent more time together than most couples did and he intended to share the rest of his life with her.

"I've never said how much I'm sorry for what happened to you," Roland whispered, "if I had arrived sooner I would have never let that disgusting man touch you."

"You arrived just in time and I'm thankful for that," Rose replied petting his hair with a soft smile on her lips.

Roland nodded, not wanting to think about this anymore and pulled away, grabbing her hand and dragging her through the small shacks that made homes for the villagers.

"So why are we going to the Mad Hatter's house?" The boy inquired.

"Grace has a map that might help me and my brother with something."

"Can I know what this something is?"

"Sorry, babe," she bounced, "but it's a secret between siblings."

Everybody knew better than to get between Rose and Gideon's secrets, but that doesn't mean they still didn't want to know what they had to hide. Most people had just given up asking a long time ago, but Roland, just like Mrs. Potts was not one of those people.

"You two are full of secrets," the boy complained.

"We are the Dark One's children," Rose said, simply. "Don't worry we know what we are doing."

"I hope so," Roland muttered.

The Hatter's shack wasn't far away from there, but it was settled in a hill and was larger and more comfortable than the other commoners' houses, that given the fact that Jefferson wasn't common in any possible aspect. Rose advanced and knocked on the door, being welcomed by the seventeen-year-old blonde girl that lived there.

"I missed you!" Grace exclaimed, happily bringing her inside with Roland right behind.

Rose waved her head in agreement. "So, did I."

"Come on," the blonde one said, walking around the room, looking for something in the shelves that were nailed to the walls, "I think I've found that map we talked about."

Roland blinked at the information and grabbed at his girlfriend's elbow. "Are you using mirrors to communicate?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Because it's dangerous."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Roland, darling, your mother does it all the time."

"But once, she was the Evil Queen."

"I don't see your point," the girl continued, pulling away from him to follow the Grace.

They examined some old parchments, opening then as Grace sword she had placed the thing in one of those shelves just that morning, before she finally squealed: "Here! There it is!"

Opening it on the table, the blonde girl let the brunette take an attentive look at it, analysing the lines and the inscriptions on the draw.

"Great, exactly what I needed," Rumplestiltskin's daughter murmured.

"Rose this is - " Roland started, but she didn't allow him to finish.

Casting a dangerous glance at him, she said, threatening: "Be quiet, you never saw it."

Then, she rolled the parchment back, thinking that hopefully, she might have found a solution to a great part of her problems.


	12. Chapter 12

Agathe sneaked out of the Dark Castle in the quiet of the night. She risked herself through the woods, riding one of her master's horses to the village near there, where she knew she would find Lady Heart. The maid laced the horse's reins to a tree, getting a tighter hold on the lamp she was carrying and pulling the hood of her cloak over her face. She walked around taking care to not be seen as she made her way through the tiny houses, to the old wooden door and knocked repeatedly.

It opened moved by magic and Agathe entered the shack, hearing when it closed behind her with a muffled noise. She lifted the lamp, walking around the small room when suddenly a couple of candles lighted up on the breakfast table, showing Lady Heart behind it, chestnut hair falling around her shoulders, all dressed in black as usual, but this time in a long nightgown and a night vest that seemed too expensive for an old witch, who lived in such a tiny house and in such a decadent village. But the maid had no much peace of mind to wonder about what exactly felt so wrong about that lady, everything she could think about was how angry she was now.

"It didn't work!"

Lady Heart blinked placing her teacup back to the saucer, the look on her face was calm, almost astonished for the maid's sudden bad mood. "Excuse me?"

"The freaking lust potion! It didn't work," Agathe sobbed. "I gave it to him, he drank it all, but the only effects it showed was he hid in the lab, pleasuring himself with his own hands while moaning lady Belle's name."

A loud laugh came from the chestnut-haired woman, her shoulders shaking as she lost herself in a delighted sequence of guffaws, while Agathe could only stared at her, angry and confused, the tears kept streaming down her pale face.

"The fool is really in love," Lady Heart chuckled, wiping the corners of her eyes and trying to catch a breath. "I can't believe it!"

"You said it would work," Agathe accused, "you said he would _want me_!"

Standing up, the witch showed her the phantom of an evil smile.

"I thought he would, but the potion can't just _erase_ True Love. So, I'm sorry my dear, but Rumplestiltskin will never want you," she said slowly, making a pause, before adding: "At least not at his own will."

Inhaling deeply, the maid nodded. It was what she was fearing this whole time, that it would be impossible for her to reach her master, because he was already too lost in his love for his wife. And Agathe had to admit that what made her hate Lady Belle the most, was the fact she wasn't someone you _would_ usually hate, all kind and generous and so damn beautiful that the Dark One had no eyes for anyone else. Even when his needs were so strong like the potion might have gotten them, he would think about her, imagine her and relieve the memories they made through the years. Agathe had no chance against True Love.

"What should I do?" She asked, nibbling at her lower lip. "Lady Belle will be back soon and I will lose all my chances of trying anything."

"You still have the other potion I gave to you?" Lady Heart asked, going to her cabinet to pick a small bottle, and Agathe nodded. "Great, keep it, because you might still need the thing, after all, but now dear Agathe, you shall take this one and enlace it with your master's tea."

The witch slid the bottle with the translucid liquid that could very well be water, to the maid's pale hand.

"Which kind of potion is this?" Agathe questioned.

"A sleepy one," Lady Heart explained. "Once he drinks he will fall into deep sleep, almost as if he is into a sleeping curse. Then, you must take him to your chambers, remove all your clothes and let him think that he shared your bed."

Agathe looked down to her boots, not liking the sound of that conversation or the road it was taking. It seemed to be a stupid and pointless thing to do, mainly because it would all be a lie and she would only get her master to hate her, other than to start appreciating her. _No_ , it definitely wasn't right and if she was going to do it, she needed a guarantee this time things would end up well.

"But nothing would have happened," Agathe pointed out in a voice full of mistrust.

"Yes, and that's why you must have bedded another man before you do so."

"Lady Heart!" The maid exclaimed, her cheeks burning with colour.

Going back to her place by the breakfast table, the witch rolled her eyes and waved her hand to warm up her tea again, before she lifted the cup to her lips to take a sip.

"Do not look so scandalized, girl, you came here to ask me for a way to have your married master for you," she bounced. "Will you hear my instructions or not?"

Breathing in, Agathe gave up. "I will."

"Go to a tavern, talk to a nice man, take him to bed," Lady Heart demanded, tracing the border of her cup in order to not look into the maid's eyes, while her mind worked in her newest plan. "You must act when you start feeling the signals that indicated you are with child."

Agathe gasped.

"I must have a child with a random man?"

"If you want Rumplestiltskin, then yes," Lady Heart said, harshly. "He is passionate about his children and he would never let a child of his down. And you will make him believe that you carry his baby."

She didn't know if she was willing to do it. Agathe had already gone really far for what she wanted, and that woman had already said she would never have the Dark One's heart, so she wasn't sure if it was really worth the effort. But what she had if not this? The maid was alone in life, no one truly cared about her and being taken over Rumplestiltskin's wing, even if everything was just a sick lie, was better than nothing, _right?_

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Of course," the witch assured, tapping her long nails on the table, her dark eyes grunting on her. "Tell me something, do you have any contact with his great-granddaughter?"

"Lucy?" Agathe inquired. "No, she just appears sometimes when she is with one of her grandmothers, especially now that Cinderella disappeared."

Lady Heart's eyes were glowing with interest, as if she had greater plans about that, what was definitely weird. Agathe started to question if that woman's intentions were really the ones she claimed, if Belle was the only one she wanted to pull down or if the Dark One was in the top of her list and his lady was just an eventual addition.

"Mm, I've hear," the chestnut-haired woman grumbled. "I need you to collect some information about her and about Rose's visions, as a payment for the new potion."

"As you wish," Agathe said, making her a curtesy and turning around to leave.

"Agathe," Lady Heart's voice stopped her. "If I were you, I would start trying to put this plan in action tonight."

Nodding, she got out of the shack, heading to the nearest tavern.

* * *

The blow of the cold wind made Rose's hair flow behind her and gave her chills as she desperately clutched against her cloak, breath coming in pants as she climbed up the hill with her brother by her side. It was beginning of the afternoon, a blindly sunlight shining through the clouds, not strong enough to warm them properly, but too bright to bother their eyes. Rose reached for Gideon's hand in a welcome aid to keep climbing to the top, where larger trees were set, covering almost all of the sky.

"We have only a few hours before mother starts to freak out with our absence," Gideon said in harsh tone, his brow narrowed in concern, "so can you please walk faster?"

"Tell me," Rose started, a little breathless, "why don't we just magic ourselves there?"

"Do you really want to alarm Maleficent of our presence and get us killed so fast?"

Rose stopped, hands placed on both sides of her hips and an angry glare in her eyes. "Why are you so moody? Dear gods, Gideon, you're usually nicer."

"I'm sorry, sis," her brother sighed. "I'm not in one of my best days."

"So, it seems."

Gesticulating for them to keep going, Rose adventured herself into the woods with Gideon following her with lowest steps, probably thinking about the things that were getting him all grumpy. She knew he was feeling bad because of the way he ended things with Roderick and she wasn't blaming him for it, as she knew it probably was hurting a lot, but Rose wasn't going to take any of this horrible mood from him.

Gideon was her safe haven and if he annoyed her, then there was certainly nothing else able to make her smile. She reached for the ends of her brown leather bodice, to feel if the dagger was still hanging in there, some relief taking her when her fingers brushed the blade. It was a simple thing, but which she hadn't departed from ever since they got out of the castle. Her father had gifted her with this dagger after what happened in Avonlea, telling her to always carry it around, so she would have a way to defend herself, even if her magic was blocked.

He had chuckled humourlessly, saying how this dagger wasn't cursed as the one that held his name and was hidden somewhere inside the Dark Castle, then he kissed her brow and pulled her closer. When Rose looked up, she saw that Rumplestiltskin had unshed tears in his eyes.

"Have I ever told you about how I felt the day you were born?" He had asked and she just shook her head, wordlessly. "Well, sweetheart, I had been a father twice before, but I will never forget how my heart seemed about to burst when Mrs. Potts said I had a daughter. I never truly understood the feeling of having such a duty, to protect something so perfect, in a world where women have no much place and are thought so little of."

Rose couldn't find anything to answer to his babbling, but she knew that deep into her brown eyes, the imp could see she was moved by his words, so he continued.

"Your mother once told me about how it felt unfair the poor chances of life choices our ladies had, but I didn't care much about it, first because when she did, she was the only woman that mattered to me and I was willing to give her all freedom she wanted and second, because I was too lost in her goodness to wonder about anything else," Rumplestiltskin had said with a small impish laugh. "But I did remember about all of this the moment I first held you and I became aware that you would face this same world. And Rose, _my beautiful girl_ , I would do anything to protect you and I'm so sorry that cruel people are all around this realm. I wish I could keep you safe forever."

At this point he had let some tears drop from his eyes and Rose touched his face, wiping them away before she kissed his cheek and sank into his embrace, feeling as safe as she could ever be.

"I love you, papa," she had murmured. "I'm so glad to be your daughter."

"I love you too, my bairn," he returned using that old word he hadn't spoke for a long while. "Always."

Closing her carmine cloak again, Rose took a long breath, taking care of not letting herself stumble with the roots of the trees and fall on the ground. She was distracted, thinking about home and how badly she missed her father and littlest siblings when Gideon grabbed her elbow, pointing at the entrance of a cave.

"There!" He exclaimed, dragging the girl to the opening.

They slowly entered it, realising the cave was way bigger than it seemed seen from outside and, as they walked in, it got darker, so Gideon had to conjure a fireball to light up their way. Rose looked around and her heart attempted to stop.

"Wait!" She held her brother in place, preventing him from going on and pointed at a curled scaled thing on the floor. "Is that a dragon tail?"

Rose had just finished the sentence, when the thing moved, so quickly and violently they stumbled back on their heels, with hearts tumbling on their chests as the dragon flied around their heads, grunting furiously before it landed in front of them and transformed itself into a girl, no much older than Gideon, with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Dark One," she greeted with a nod, looking right at her brother.

 _Usual_ , Rose thought, rolling her eyes.

"Dear gods you scared the hell out of us," Gideon complained.

"I thought you were here to steal or try to slay me," the girl shrugged. "What I can help the Dark One with?"

Looking at Gideon with the corner of her eyes, Rose saw the mistrust in every of his features as he stiffed his back and held up his chin. He had that dangerous look of their father and all their mother's stubbornness reflecting in him as he faced the girl.

"I'm not the Dark One, just his son, Gideon," he presented himself. "Me and my sister are actually looking for you, Maleficent."

"Oh, it seems we've wronged each other," she answered with a sided-smile. "I'm Lily, Maleficent's daughter."

 _Daughter?_ Rose didn't know Maleficent had a half-dragon daughter, but then in the Enchanted Forest there were a lot of things one didn't know about. She bet, of course, that her father did, because Rumplestiltskin always seek this kind of information that might be useful for him with his deals in the future.

"So, is she around?" Rose inquired.

Another giant flying thing, came from the edges of that infinity cavern, stopping right behind Lily, before turning into a blonde woman dressed in a tight black gown; something that should be a certain kind of weird hat with horns, placed on the top of her head and a staff securely wrapped in one of her hands. Rose could see why people referred to the trio composed by her, Ursula and Cruella as the Queens of Darkness.

"Yes, she is," the woman said. "What is your name, my dear?"

"Rose, milady."

"So, it is true then that Rumplestiltskin really dragged that beautiful little maid to his bed," Maleficent said with a smirk, surrounding the siblings to analyse them with curiosity. She stopped in front of Rose, eyes examining carefully every line of her face. "Have anyone ever told you that you look exactly like your mother?"

"Many times."

Sharing a glance with Lily just for the enough time Gideon needed to take his sister's hand, Maleficent asked: "And what do you want from me?"

"We've been told you own a spell book which can help my sister riding herself from her seer gifts," Gideon answered.

"You're a seer?" Lily repeated with a surprised blink.

"Yes," Rose confirmed.

The interest quickly showed in both mother and daughter's faces and, for the first time since she decided to come there, Rose felt uncertain. She knew her gifts were thought to be a rare, priceless thing that lots of people desired to have and her father had warned her, she should take care with the ones she choose to reveal it to, because some of them might want to enslave her, just like he knew people wanted to do with him. And she had to admit, she didn't know which could be those two's intentions.

"Well I'm sorry but I can't help you, because none of the books in my belonging, have anything that can help you with this, and I believe no one would have," Maleficent said. "It is impossible to rid yourself from powers you've been born with."

A defeated sigh left her, she was disappointed, but yet, not surprised. Rose spent full sixteen years struggling with those visions and if the Dark One himself couldn't find a way to help her, then she was a fool to think any book could.

"Wait, have you tried the anti-magic cuffs?" Lily prompted.

"Those black things produced in Avonlea?" Gideon inquired.

"Yeah, I heard the fairies helped the clerics to make them and they are able to block someone's powers," the dragon-girl continued. "Maybe it blocks your visions too."

Something seemed to click inside Rose's mind and suddenly she was back to the days she spent in Avonlea, fighting against her weariness to keep her eyes open and occasionally failing it, giving in to the unconsciousness. She hadn't dreamed about anything while she was there and she knew the closer someone's death got, the constant were the visions. Lily's theory appeared to be the best one she had ever heard.

"She is right!"

"But you won't be able to take it off," her brother said with concern.

"We can work with it," Rose insisted, "make it better and easier to manage."

Gideon finally nodded, knowing that for his sister, this solution was her only hope, after all this time looking for things that could help and failing.

"Thank you, for your help," he gestured to Maleficent and Lily.

He started to drag Rose to the cavern's entrance when they were stopped by a black cloud of smoke, which brought the blond woman to stand by them with a grin, just about to charge them about the information's price. "Nothing is free."

"Of course," Gideon rolled his eyes, "what is your price?"

"A drop of her blood," Maleficent bounced waving her hand to make a tiny bottle appear alongside with a needle, opening the lid as she approached Rose. "You never know when you'll need a seer's essence to make a potion."

Stretching her hand to Maleficent to take, Rose let her stick the needle on her finger and squeeze it to make the blood drop inside the bottle. Then she released the girl and stepped away to allow them to go back home.

"Take the safest road!" Lily shout behind them, but none of the siblings turned around.

* * *

Lifting his glass of whiskey to meet his sister's, Gideon let them make a soft calming noise while a smirk filled his lips.

"To useless exchanges," the boy asserted.

"Cheers," Rose mumbled leading the glass to her pinkish lips and taking a long thirsty sip, as if it wasn't her third glass. Letting her gaze fall to the old woodened table of the tavern, she sighed. "We could have figured that out if we had just sat to think a little."

She was a little angry with herself for not having rationalized enough to find that out. Rose knew if she had put her mind to work she could have solved it without needing to come for Maleficent and her winged daughter.

"Yeah, but I think none of us are up to thinking lately," Gideon pointed out, "not even mother who was always the brain of the family."

"Without her we would be lost," Rose agreed. "Did you ever stop to wonder how bored she might have been when she was just a maid in our castle?"

Gideon shook his head. "Nah, I think she was pretty busy between keeping papa from behind a dark idiot to reading her beloved books."

Even so, Rose imagined at some point Belle should have felt lonely and bored in the castle. The place was huge and had lots of rooms, but after some time of exploration, anyone would get tired and her mother was too adventurous to get used to see the same walls every day. She didn't know exactly how many time Belle had been there before Gideon was born or before she started a relationship with their father, but she was pretty sure her mother must have felt glad when things started to change and she acquired a new routine in which she had people she loved to make her some company.

Her brother opened the lid of the whiskey bottle they had bought, diving the remains of the drink between their glasses, before casting it aside to hold up his glass once again.

"To father's best exchange ever, which got us here today," Gideon said with a playful grin.

"To Rumplestiltskin and Belle's love and to our existence," Rose completed, tapping her glass with his.

They drank the whiskey in silence, prolonging their stay in the tavern until none of them could held their chuckles anymore, both starting to laugh simultaneously at how stupid they had just sounded.

"We are getting drunk," Gideon babbled.

"I've noticed," the girl agreed, taking a long breath to calm herself. "We are talking nonsense, brother."

"Let's take a glass of water and then go back," he said distracting himself in reaching for the small leather bag he had hanging from his belt.

While Gideon opened it to take the gold, Rose let her eyes wander around the place, when something caught her attention, well not exactly something, but someone. She leaned forward, trying to get a better view of the dark-haired boy sitting in a bench and talking to a man, who appeared to be a few years older than him.

"Hey, is that Roderick?"

Her brother let the leather bag fall on his lap, as exasperation came to his face. "Where?"

"Right there at your left, but don't look now," Rose instructed.

However, it was like she hadn't said a thing. Gideon turned his head to the place she had indicated, eyeing Roderick quickly before he looked back at his sister.

"Is he with another boy?"

"Gideon, you broke up with him," she pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "You couldn't possibly be expecting he would spend the rest of his life alone waiting for you to come back!"

He wasn't hearing at all, because everything Gideon could pay any attention to, was the image of Roderick sharing a laugh with that other man. His hands became fists, the anger filling him as he tried to hold his impulses of standing up and walking to where they were, to maybe punch that boy, but then Roderick moved his head and his eyes got wide when he realised someone had been watching him.

"Damn it!" Gideon cursed. "He saw me!"

"Let's get out of this place, huh?" Rose proposed standing from the bench where she had been sat and gripping at his arm. "Mama said she wanted to go back home tonight."

"No, I - " the boy started, but his sister didn't let him finish.

"Come on, brother, there is nothing we can do here."

And in fact, he had to agree with her, they had nothing to do about that, but when he noticed the girls walking around there, with loosened bodices and pleading eyes, he had an idea of how he could make some revenge and cause Roderick some jealously, just like he was causing him now. Gideon held out a hand, waving for a beautiful blonde girl, who was near them.

"Mistress?" He called.

Rose narrowed her eyes and slapped his arm. "What the hell are you doing?"

Ignoring her, he let the girl take his hand with a smirk playing in his lips when he saw Roderick was watching as she slid to his lap and pressed a kiss to his neck. Gideon was smiling, but truth be told, she could have kissed all the way down his body and she would get no real reaction from him, because his desires rested in an entire different kind of person, but he wasn't going to show it now. He knew Roderick would be in doubt if he saw him with this girl.

"A couple of straws of gold for you to lead me upstairs," the boy muttered in her ear, grabbing his leather bag as he let her drag him from the bench with lustful eyes.

"Gideon!" Rose protested, but he left her behind.

Following the girl to the upper floor, he let her take him to one of the bedrooms, but Gideon barely casted a glance at her when the blonde laid on the bed and started undressing herself, he just waved his head to let her know they weren't going to proceed with that and took some gold from his bag, placing it on the mattress by her side as he told her to never comment what happened to anyone, before letting a golden cloud of smoke take him outside.

When he appeared in front of the tavern, Rose was standing there with folded arms and a frown in her face.

"Are you mad?" She shouted out.

"Now he thinks I'm over him too," Gideon shrugged.

"No, now nonetheless, if he thought you were an idiot before, he thinks you are a greatest bastard who is into bedding those wenches."

 _Oh, damn it!_ She was right. He hated when she was this right and he didn't pay attention to the things she said, just like when his parents warned him about something. Gideon needed to learn how to let people help him, or gods knew he would end up doing something that could be really bad.

"I hate my life," he mumbled under his breath.

"Next time," Rose bounced, "listen to me when I try to speak!"

* * *

Later that day, after they shared a delicious dinner with Ruby's family, Gideon made their things appear back in their respective chambers at the Dark Castle and they started to say their goodbyes, ready to go back to their routines. Belle was smiling widely at Ruby as they talked.

"Thank you for the hospitality, ladies, feel free to come visit us at the Dark Castle whenever you want," the Dark Lady said.

"We are grateful, but completely aware your husband doesn't like those visits," it was Dorothy who answered, chuckling a little, "maybe we can pop up for a few hours, just to bother him."

"It would be a delight," Belle laughed.

Hugging all of them she stepped back, letting her children quickly do the same, but Ruby held Gideon for a longer moment so she could whisper to him: "Tell her!"

"Goodbye, aunt Ruby," the boy said, dodging himself from that subject by taking them away with his magic.

When they materialized in the great hall of their castle, Rumplestiltskin was casually climbing down the stairs. He eyed them surprised just for a moment, before pulling both his children into a tight hug, kissing their cheeks and them moving to enlace Belle in his embrace, splaying his hands on her back and touching his forehead against hers.

"Don't leave me again, please," the imp begged, "days without you are a cruel torture."

Belle kissed him passionately. "I've missed you so much, my Rumple."

The sound of footsteps came from the hallway and Gideon turned around to see his little brother and sister coming right way to collide with their mother, making her almost lose her balance, just keeping on her feet because their father was holding her.

"Mama!" Chip and Colette squealed at the same time.

"Oh, my dear children," she kneeled to hug them, petting their hairs and filling their cheeks with butterfly kisses.

"Feeling hungry?" A voice behind Gideon asked.

"Hey, Mrs. Potts, I've missed you!" Rose greeted, throwing her arms around the maid's shoulders. "I'm sorry, but Granny made us eat a lot before left."

A grimace appeared in the chubby woman's face as she pulled away from Rose, placing both hands in her own hips. "So, you have no space for some cookies?"

"I think I can manage to eat one or two," Gideon prompted.

"Lette, Chip, come with us," Rose invited.

"But - " Chip started to protest, hooking his finger in the long sleeve of their mother's dress.

Gideon dragged him away from her, watching Colette go running straight to the kitchen, being followed by Mrs. Potts and Rose. He thought he might invite the boy to play chess later, so they could give their parents some needed space.

"Come on, lad."

Once alone in the hall, Rumplestiltskin pulled Belle closer again, nuzzling his face to her neck and letting her curl herself around him the best she could. They were wrapped very closely and with no intentions of letting go. He kissed her throat, then her hair and pulled away just enough to look into her eyes.

"How are things here?"

"Everything is perfectly normal," Rumplestiltskin said softly.

"Liar!" Belle accused. "Nothing is normal around the Dark One."

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about those things, I'm just glad I have my wife back to my arms," the imp purred caressing her nose with his own, he cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb against her soft flesh. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Lighter," she confessed. "I needed this, I needed to find goodness and normality in something again. I walked around the village, I went to a tavern with Ruby, I danced over the moonlight with my children and I visited our baby's grave. And I didn't cry."

His heart made a painful flip in his chest, at those words. Rumplestiltskin usually kept his mind away from that horrible year where his mother came back to his life just to cause his family all that pain, including that miscarriage. They visited the grave once a year to put flowers above the stone and guarantee child was never going to be forgotten and it hurt like hell every single time they did.

"Did you say papa sent a hello?"

"I most certainly did," Belle answered with the tiniest of the smiles she could show.

He touched her eyebrow, loving to see that even those distressing subjects weren't taking away her glow anymore. Rumplestiltskin silently thanked all the gods he knew, for his wife to be whole and strong again, because now they were ready to move on.

"How is Rose?"

"She is..." His wife started, trying to find the right words to finish the sentence. "The strongest young lady I've ever know, we raised her very well. She won't let herself be taken down by Keith's assault, as much as it left a scar on her soul."

"She is fierce like her mother," the Dark One praised.

Closing her arms around his neck Belle pulled him into a heated kiss, the new renovated need inside her, caused by their separated time, totally impossible to ignore.

"Rumple..." She breathed. "Can you take me to our chambers?"

"Yes, my love, anything you want."


	13. Chapter 13

The image of Belle sleeping peacefully on their bed, was the most beautiful thing in the world for Rumplestiltskin. Her chest raised and fell with her breath, her naked skin being bathed by the sunlight that entered the windows, her eyelids closed and a soft smile in her lips. It was so good to see her so relaxed like that, after everything they had been through, the imp wished he could freeze the time, to allow his family to be as happy as they were, ever since they came together last night.

He traced her arm gently, bending to press a prolonged kiss on her shoulder, thinking about how much he missed her in those two weeks she had been away, but he wasn't selfish enough to hold her in the castle, when he knew what she needed to feel properly alive again, was freedom. And, _gods_ , he saw that amazing light in her eyes by the moment she appeared in the great hall, and when they made love, he could feel her burning with intensity, her soul as close to his as their bodies were. She was renovated, regained her strength and he was more than happy for it.

Belle whimpered low, moving sluggishly, until she had turned around to face him.

"Already dressed?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

It wasn't any news for her to wake up to a fully dressed Rumplestiltskin, or just alone in bed. He didn't actually need to sleep that much so, most of time, he would just cuddle with her until she fell asleep and then tiptoe downstairs to work with his spinning wheel or make any potions at the laboratory. At first, it had frustrated her but after twenty-one years together she couldn't move herself to complain, just tease him sometimes.

"Good morning for you too, sweetheart," he said kissing the top of her nose.

Cupping his cheek Belle made a request: "Can you lay down with me for a while?"

The Dark One waved his head positively joining his wife in bed, circling her with his arms and touching their foreheads together. Belle snuggled against him, releasing a sound of approval when her bare body was in full contact with the leather of his clothes.

"It was really great to be ruthless for a while, but I'm so glad I'm back to be the Dark Lady again. I can almost see myself commanding this castle in an hour or so," she said in wonder, eyes closed and lips roaming his throat. "I will clean the library, have writing lessons with Chip and Colette, then I'll check on our lunch with Mrs. Potts and gods knows what's next. But I have work to do and I'm glad."

"Oh, I have lots of work to do too," Rumple purred in her ear, bringing her even closer, "Gideon still needs a lady and I'll be searching for someone that suits him."

"Rumple, leave the boy alone," Belle pleaded. "He is my baby."

A soft low chuckle left his mouth. His wife would never accept the fact their children were growing up, he could see it deep on the uncertainty of her blue eyes and feel it when their oldest children acted like real adults and both exchanged glances, knowing the inevitable was to come and they would soon leave their nest.

"Need I remind you, sweetheart, that your said baby is soon to be twenty-one?"

"Ugh, I hate you for reminding me of this," Belle complained.

It was almost fun to see her distress with something that even being a little painful for both of them, was still not all bad, it just meant life was taking its course and, as someone who had seen many generations come and go, Rumplestiltskin knew it always left an emptiness in the heart, but also that now he had found her, he could face anything.

"Well, I'll take Gideon with me to make some deals today. Why don't you enjoy this beautiful sunny day?"

"I think I could convince Rose to go on a ride with me," she answered.

He nodded, knowing the horses would be ready and the household prepared to hold the children while mother and daughter spent some quality time away from those same walls.

"Aye, do this. It will be good for both of you."

Belle reached to kiss the place just beneath his throat and he felt some wetness coating his skin and that was when he realised she was crying against his chest.

"Rumple, I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"I know I wasn't being the easiest person to live with these past few months. But I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Cupping her face, Rumplestiltskin made his wife look back at him as he gently brushed away all of her tears, spreading kisses through her wet face, wondering how it was possible that Belle though she had to apologize for something to him. They would be together forever, through the thick and thin, the sickness and health and nothing would ever separate them.

"My love, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just happy you're feeling good again."

"Thank you," the Dark Lady said, curling her fingers around the strands of his smooth hair, "for being exactly who I need."

He pulled her closer, kissing her passionately and running his hands down her naked body. A sweet moan came from her throat and he felt himself twitch with desire, but he departed from his wife, knowing they were already late for breakfast.

"You better dress yourself before I decide to cancel all of our plans to keep you in bed with me for the whole day."

"Can you help me with the laces of my bodice?" Belle asked with a giggle, sitting on the bed and looking lazily at the closet.

"Of course, I can."

...

It had been quite some time since Gideon last travelled with his father. Rumplestiltskin had always enjoyed taking him to his lighter deals, so they could keep training his magical abilities, at the same time he taught him how to make solid unbreakable contracts. Those were moments Gideon truly cherished, because it made him feel special and knowing that his father had faith in his future was a great joy for him, however in that specific day, Gideon wasn't much cheerful about leaving the castle.

It felt terrifying to be away from his sister now, knowing their home was only protected by some spells and Mr. Dove's questioning ability of using a sword. He was worried about his mother and the children too, and from all of them, the most broken were Belle and Rose and he felt this strong need of keeping them safe from any harm. He had to tell himself a thousand times it was safe to stay away for a few hours, however his father appeared to be extremely nervous, which only contributed to make him even more anxious.

Rumplestiltskin had transported them to the place he wished with a mere flourish of his green-gold hand, and they appeared outside a big castle with large red flags fluttering in the wind. Usually they went to small villages, where the poverty had turned most people into desperate souls, but he knew very well, the riches sometimes were as desperate as them.

"So," Gideon started, staring mistrustfully at the castle, "are we going to make a deal with a royal?"

"No," his father answered shaking his head very slightly, before starting to walk. "We are not here because of a deal."

Gideon's eyebrows narrowed, a frown taking his face. If they weren't there for a deal, then he couldn't quite understand his father's plans.

"But you said - " he tried to begin, following his father through the bridge, which lead to the front gates.

"I know what I said and that was just to excuse us out of the castle without any suspicions," Rumplestiltskin bounced, rather harshly, but then he saw the surprise in the boy's eyes and sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder as he pointed at the decadent stone walls in front of them. "This, my son, is Avonlea."

"Avonlea?" Gideon blinked, barely believing it. "What are we doing here?"

His father took a deep breath, that nervous expression returning to his face.

"First, you must not tell your mother about this," he instructed, which caught Gideon by surprise, because usually his parents never kept secrets between each other, however, he nodded anyway, knowing that if what his father was doing was a bad thing, there was no way he would keep with this promise. "I've been taking care of the kingdom ever since Maurice died."

"Why?"

Truth be told, Gideon couldn't see the point of keeping the kingdom alive, and a big part of it was because of what had happened with his sister in that place. He felt sick just to know where he was and if he didn't know that Rose's assaulter was already dead, he would have inspected all the corners of Avonlea to find him and rip his heart out of his chest. His father, however, didn't seem to share the same thoughts he did, and not just because of his clear wish of keeping this land safe, but also because of the way he looked at the stone walls when they entered the castle, without even a protest of the guards.

"Because this is your mother's first home," Rumple explained with a sigh. "She may think she want to forget about this place and let it fall, but the truth is she cares about her people, she is only afraid that protecting them might bring some consequences over our family."

"And is she right?"

"I don't know, but I can't let her regret this," his father answered with a shrug.

Funny that he was being the benefactor of this kingdom once more, when so long ago he had taken its princess away to make her his prisoner. But the difference was _now_ , he cared about Avonlea, and he also cared about Belle. Gideon allowed a half-smile to take his lips.

"So, you, the Dark One is making an act of selflessly?"

"What can I say?" Rumplestiltskin smirked. "I love her and would do anything for her."

"At least I can say that I admire this in you," the boy replied. "Your devotion for her."

The father continued to smile as they walked inside the castle, as if they owned it. And in part, Gideon really thought they did, because his mother was the only heir of the deceased king, which meant Avonlea belonged to her.

"Gideon, I want you to pick a bride," Rumple suddenly said.

Snorting loudly the boy folded his arms, totally sure this was not a subject which he wanted to talk about just now. Gideon had broken up with Roderick, but that didn't change anything, not in the way he still felt for that commoner boy, nor about the way he wanted to live his life.

"Father, we've talked about this before. I don't want to get married just now," he said in the kindest way he could. "Why don't you content yourself with the fact you promised Rose's hand to Roland, future king of Sherwood?"

"Your sister is sixteen!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed. "She is just a girl and she will remain in my home for as long as I wish!"

He was using that exasperated tone he did when talking about something that caused him some kind of despair and apparently losing his oldest daughter was one of those things.

"Alright," Gideon nodded. "Just don't push this on me, please."

"Why not? You'll be twenty-one soon and I want you to be my successor, as your brother have no interest in things related with magic."

A loud sigh left Gideon. So that was it, Baelfire didn't want to have nothing to do with their father's magic business and he had to take his place, as the second born boy. He wondered if he just gave up all of this, then his father could bother Chip and leave him alone.

"And I am the second option..." He grumbled, slightly resented.

"You're not the second option," Rumplestiltskin remarked. "Gideon, my boy, you were born with a great power and you have a bright future ahead."

"Yes, papa, but I don't have to be married to have this future," the boy insisted. "Now, are we going to keep this argument going or can we do what we came here for?"

His father nodded, although he still seemed to be willing to keep on with that old discussion. They walked inside the castle and Gideon furrowed at how lost in his own musings Rumplestiltskin seemed to be as he faced the inside of the castle.

"She grew up here, under this same roof, within these same walls," he mumbled, both to himself and to Gideon. "I couldn't let it all go to waste, so I'm keeping a regent here."

"Who?"

"Me," answered a male voice.

A middle-aged man walked to their direction, wearing fine clothes and a giant, kind and genuine smile. Rumple smiled to him too and accepted the handshake the man offered him, before glancing back at his son.

"Gideon, this is an old friend of your mother, King Philip."

"It is very nice to meet you," the boy said with a nod.

"He is a distant relative of Belle," Rumplestiltskin continued, "and agreed to help in order to keep Avonlea alive."

Gideon raised an eyebrow, but of course somebody had to be there looking for the kingdom and its people, otherwise it would continue to decay, just like when his grandfather was alive but too ill to properly reign. Philip in the other hand, seemed to be pretty healthy and carried that smile, which reminded him of his own mother's, and made Gideon feel secure about his work there. He surely looked like a good, merciful king.

"You can guarantee her that if she wants to claim her throne, it will be waiting for her," Philip said.

"Belle is happy just being the Dark Lady, but we came here to see how things are going."

"The people are safe, nobody is starving anymore and the ogres are distant."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, satisfied.

"That's good, very good," the imp smiled, then added in a tone of wonder: "Philip, you have an eighteen-year-old daughter, right?"

Immediately, Gideon's eyes got wide. He couldn't be doing this, but of course, he was. The boy snorted in disbelief of how much his father was an insistent man.

"Oh, no, father," Gideon mumbled, coming to stand between the king and him and said: "Papa and I thank you for your help, King Philip, but we have to go."

Philip nodded, rather confused and watched as a golden cloud of smoke took them, making father and son vanish from Avonlea, reappearing at his laboratory, back to the Dark Castle. An angry expression had taken Rumple's face and he had his narrowed eyes fixed in the boy, looking all threatening.

"Stop whining about this Gideon," the imp warned, "I will find you a bride."

"I dare you to force me to marry her!"

Gideon knew it was a dangerous thing to dare the Dark One to do something, even more when he seemed so determinate like now, but he'd rather spend weeks without talking to Rumplestiltskin, than to follow with this madness and get married with some stupid princess, just to make him happy.

"I am your father," Rumple said, very slowly, letting it clear he wasn't joking at all, "and if I wish to do so, then I will."

"No, you won't," Gideon remarked, "because you know mother will never forgive you."

Then, he turned his back to him and went to the ingredient shelves, starting to look for the things he needed, when he heard his father taking some steps into his direction, still not willing to let this conversation end.

"Do not walk away from me."

"I have other things to work on, if you excuse me father," Gideon breathed, trying to sound as polite as possible. "I think I've found a way to stop Rose's visions."

Rumplestiltskin blinked in awe.

"You did?"

Reaching for his cloak's pocket, Gideon took the black cuff they had put on Rose at Avonlea and lifted it for him to see, a clever half-smile appearing in his lips.

"I just have to change this thing enough so she can take it off whenever she wants."

Rumplestiltskin took the cuff from him, analysing it for a moment, trying to hide how proud he was of his boy, for thinking of this. Gideon could be extremely stubborn and petulant sometimes, but he was also his mother's son, which meant he was one of the smartest sorcerers in the realm.

"Alright, I'll help."

So, leaving their argument aside, both of them started to work on something, that could finally help riding their beloved Rose, from her terrible visions.

* * *

After getting properly dressed for a ride, Belle and Rose made their way to the stables. They went straight to their horses to start preparing them, Rose furrowing as she noticed a lamp had been dropped inside of the lane, and the straw was spread all around, instead of piled up in a corner. She stretched herself to look at her mother, who was brushing the white horse by her side.

"I think the children must have been here during our absence," Rose said. "Fluff's lane is a mess."

Belle glanced back at her, examining the lane and wrinkling her nose at it, noticing her daughter was right.

"I'll ask Mr. Dove if he can come here take care of the horses after we come back," she promptly guaranteed. "Ready?"

"Like never before," Rose smiled.

They took the horses out of the stables and climbed them up, getting a hold of their reins. Rose looked back at her mother with a daring smile in her lips.

"I'll reach for the mountains before you do!"

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that!"

Both women tapped her feet against their horses' ribs and they started to run outside the gates of the Dark Castle. Laughing to herself with excitement, Rose breathed in, enjoying each moment of the ride and feeling more alive than never. There was something about riding that made her heart race deliciously, a whole wave of adrenaline running through her veins and making her body feel lighter. It was like the last few weeks of her life were being erased, and everything that existed in the world was her, above that horse, trying to beat her mother on their little run.

When she arrived the mountain, Rose looked down to see West, the white horse fatiguing as it trotted the last few steps to where she was. The girl gave her mother a proud smile, even though she found herself slightly breathless too and Belle grinned back, petting the back of West's head.

"Do you remember the last time we went on a ride?"

"Yeah, Neal was with us," Rose answered, smiling melancholily, "and Henry."

Belle nodded, but her glance fell to the ground as she took a longer breath, and suddenly, Rose felt guilty for what she just said.

"I'm sorry," the girl mumbled. "I didn't want to make you sad."

"You didn't," Belle guaranteed. "I just... I hope he is fine."

It had been months since someone of the family last saw Henry, even Regina and Emma, who were always treating him like a child, barely had contact with their son, only receiving a few letters from time to time. Everything would be easier if they knew just what happened with Ella, but her disappearance was a mystery nobody seemed to be able to uncover. One night she was there, sleeping by Henry's side at their home, and in the next morning, she was gone, leaving her husband and daughter without a clue of what could have occurred in that evening.

"I know Henry is in this hopeless quest to find his wife, but I think if he wants to find her, he should have done a better investigation before going away," Rose started. "If he closed all the doors from where the kidnappers could have taken her, he would see when someone tried to break in. And whoever did this, is probably still on his track."

Something appeared to click inside Belle's mind, because her eyes suddenly got wide and she squealed.

"Oh, gods! You are right!"

"Am I?" Rose furrowed.

"Yes, darling, you are," Belle remarked, pulling at her reins. "If we close the doors, the person we are looking for will try another way to break in, and _that_ will expose it."

Rose had no idea why she looked so cheerful with this possibility, but it was certainly good to see her mother so excited with something.

"Are we still talking about Henry?"

"No," Belle said. "We need to go back, I need to talk to your father."

Then, way faster than she climbed up the mountain, Belle made her horse turn around and trotted back to the castle.

* * *

Belle found him at the laboratory, but of course she did. If Rumple was not out on a deal and couldn't also be find by his spinning wheel or with any of the children, then there was only one place where he might be. Gideon was there too and they were whispering to each other as both selected ingredients and dropped them in the small cauldron set near the windows. She came from behind them very carefully, attacking her son with kisses all over his face, before asking the boy for a moment alone with his father.

Then, when Gideon was already gone, Rumple and her moved to the armchair, where the imp took a seat and offered her a place on his lap as they talked and Belle explained what they should do next.

"Close the mines?" Rumplestiltskin asked with shock. "Are you trying to ruin the entire realm? The workers need to _work_ to survive!"

"I know, Rumple, I didn't ask you to stop their work, I'm telling you to stop selling the magic for the fairies and whoever buys it from us."

He had his gaze fixed on hers and his eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to understand what was going through her mind and, when the imp finally did, his mouth fell open at the realisation and he nodded with approval.

"So, our ghostly dealer won't have access to it anymore," he concluded.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"Belle, you are a genius!"

Pulling her down for a kiss, Rumple ran his hand down her back, then up her belly and over to her neck, feeling each beautiful curve of her body as he probed her lips.

"Glad someone noticed," she mumbled against his lips.

A groan left his mouth, as he made his way down, pressing kisses to her jaw and eliciting small moans from his Belle. She was wearing black riding trousers and her loved the way it clung to her legs, allowing him to admire their beautiful form. But the mint-green coat she had, was something rather large and which he would love to get rid of.

"You fascinate me, sweetheart," Rumplestiltskin purred. "Every single day."

Pulling away a bit, Belle lifted his chin, so he was looking right at her eyes, instead of distracted worshipping her body, when that was the last thing he should be thinking of doing.

"I need to admit I would have never thought about it if it wasn't for Rose. She said some wise things earlier."

"We have a brilliant daughter," the imp said, stroking her pinkish cheek.

"Indeed, we do," Belle agreed, toying with his hair. "We are finally going to catch this dealer and get rid of him."

Getting a hold of her, Rumple rose on his feet pulling her to the floor and looking around the room for the wand he would need to open up a portal.

"Aye, sweetheart," he said in agreement, opening the lid of a wooden box to take the Black Fairy's wand from there. "And I'm going to take care of it right now."

* * *

It was really late and Agathe found herself sat by the counter of a tavern. She had her third glass of wine on her hands, trying to gather some courage to do what she came there for, as she hadn't the last few times she had been in that place, but still feeling shaky and naïve. Truth she had grown up in the Dark Realm and knew life wasn't fluff all the time, actually most time it was really tough, which she didn't need any proof of, but that didn't make things any easier. All she wanted was to end this as quick as she could, but just to think about what she had to do, Agathe felt sick.

She wanted Rumplestiltskin, and no other man. It was supposed to be him, touching her for the very first time, not some random drunk. Agathe was terrified, of course, but Lady Heart had guaranteed if she did that and got with child, then there was no way the Dark One would reject her. And the look on Lady Belle's face, when her plan succeeded was something that would be worth it all.

So, swallowing the very last drops of her wine, Agathe approached a man who was drowning himself in whiskey and slid to the empty seat by his side, giving him a copy of the large smile she had seen a few wenches giving those villagers in an attempt to make some gold out of some hours in their company.

"Would you like to go upstairs?" Agathe offered. "I have a room."

The man looked up at her, eyes shining with joy and something else she didn't yet know how to recognise.

"Aye, I would really like that."

Taking a deep breath to steady the mad beating of her heart, Agathe stretched a hand to him and lead the man to the tavern's upper floor.

* * *

Rose entered the kitchen with the best mood she had had in a while. The smell of the fresh baked food was all around the castle and had drawled her there, making her stomach twist painfully with hunger, as if she hadn't eaten for days, but Mrs. Potts's food generally had that effect on people.

She stopped near the counter, licking her own lips as she eyed the bread, cake and pies. All of her family's favourites, including one she hadn't seen in quite a while: lemon pie, her mother's ultimate favourite. But Rose didn't give much a thought to it, moving to the blueberry cupcakes with eagerness, when she heard the steps of a second person echoing in the kitchen.

"What do you think you're doing, girl?" Mrs. Potts asked, moodily.

"Stealing a cupcake?" Rose tried.

"Stay away from my kitchen!"

Sighing, the girl took some steps away from the counter, hiding her hands behind her back and trying to calculate the possibilities of truly stealing a cupcake, without Mrs. Potts noticing, but she soon concluded they were zero.

"Ugh, so everybody is pitying me but not you, Mrs. Potts? _How rude."_

"My dear Rose, I was there the day you were born, and I have been here ever since. Of course, I feel sorry for what happened, but that is no excuse to let you put your hands on my cupcakes before tea time."

The girl snorted, frustrated.

"Sure," she mumbled.

Making her way out of the kitchen, thinking it might be healthy to spend some quality time playing dolls with her youngest sister, Rose was interceded by the maid.

"So, what happened with that boy?" Mrs. Potts inquired. "The one I've found here in my kitchen?"

"Roderick? Oh - "

She didn't really know how to answer this, as she thought after that little incident nobody would mention Roderick's presence in the castle again, but of course, Mrs. Potts was an exception.

"What are you going to do with him now that you're Roland's betrothed?"

"Alright, time out," Rose babbled, pointing at the opened door. "I need to get a bath."

Rushing out of the kitchen, she reached the dining hall as fast as she could, but even then, Rose could still hear the maid exclaiming: "I always find out the truth!"


	14. Chapter 14

Rumplestiltskin was sitting by the desk, a silly grin stamped on his face as he stared transfixed at a piece of parchment, in which he had been writing before the voices start echoing in his mind. Only a small part of him heard the door opening and his wife walking slowly to settle her hands on his shoulders and bend to press a kiss on his cheek.

"What are you smiling at?"

"The summons, they won't stop," the imp explained. "People want pixie dust at any cost."

A giggle left Belle as she took a seat beside him.

"But we won't give them."

"No, we won't," he agreed, noticing that she too, couldn't stop grinning at everything and anything. "Now, what are _you_ smiling at?"

She let her gaze fall to the desk in front of them, as she bit down her lower lip, trying to keep her smile from growing bigger. Belle's humour was bubbly and lovely again lately, which got everybody really happy, but there was of course a reason behind it.

"Something I want to share with you," she said, very secretively, "just at the right moment."

"Then, waiting will be a delight."

The Dark One pulled his wife in for a kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth to stroke her own as he ran his fingers through her hair. It seemed ever since she came back from Ruby's house, they were closer to each other than they had been for quite a long time and it was something priceless for both of them. He pressed his forehead to hers, departing their lips and relishing in having this beautiful proximity, until the loud sound of a little child entering the room made them pull away completely.

"Mama, can I play swords with Mr. Dove at the garden?" Chip begged, already having a wooden sword on his hands.

Belle didn't know when he got so obsessed with playing a knight, but she was pretty sure Baelfire and Henry had something to do with it, as they had always been the ones to gift him with those swords and start to play as if all of them were ten-year-olds.

"Of course, darling," she replied. "But I want you back soon for our lessons, right?"

"Right, thank you!"

Laughing slightly at the sight of their son rushing back from where he had come, Belle allowed her glance to move back to her husband, who had closed his eyes and reclined against the chair. She stretched a hand to brush the hair away from his face.

"You look tired," the lady pointed out. "Do you want me to tell the maids to bring you some tea?"

He nodded, giving her a grateful smile.

"That would be nice."

"I'll see who I find," Belle promised, standing up and leaving the room.

She was walking through the hallway heading to the staircase, when suddenly everything became blurry and she had to lean against one of the walls to keep herself from falling. Belle closed her eyes tight for a moment, breathing in and out slowly, in an attempt to calm her heart, which had started to run madly inside her chest, and felt a thin pair of hands coming up to her arms, causing her eyes to fly open again.

"Mama? Are you alright?" Rose inquired, looking terribly concerned.

Swallowing hard, she managed to nod, holding onto her daughter's arms for support, as she started to walk again.

"Just fine. I was going to ask the maids for some tea to your father," the lady said, as if nothing had happened, then passed an arm around Rose's shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead. "How are you, my girl?"

A long deep sigh left her and Belle knew she was trying to decide whether or not to tell her about whatever was bothering her, because it was the same thing she did ever since she became aware of how much her struggles affected her parents. Rose had a hard childhood in comparison with her siblings, and she knew most the time Belle and Rumple were preoccupied with her, even when they were giving attention to their other children, because she was the exception and _that_ she didn't want to be.

"I've been having some troubled sleep lately," the girl finally confessed.

"Visions?"

"Yeah. The most confusing ones I've ever had in my life," Rose said and this time, Belle detected a slight despair in the tone of her voice. "I see Ella, she is sitting on the floor, very angry at something, then I see a man and, at last, death."

A chill passed through Belle's body. She had been on her daughter's place a couple of times, experiencing the breath-taking reality of those nightmares, when she was pregnant and they somehow shared the same dreams and she could still remember how awful it was. Not all details were clear, but the smells, the thermal feeling of the places and even the pain when there was any, felt real. It was scaring and Belle never felt alright with the fact her beloved daughter had to go through all of this endlessly.

"I wish I could take those visions from you," she murmured, reaching for the great hall, with an arm still firmly wrapped around her girl.

"It's alright, mama. My burden to carry. You don't need to worry."

Looking right at her warm brown eyes, which were inherited from her father's human form, Belle cupped Rose's cheek, giving her one of her best motherly smiles. Long ago, she thought she had faced a lot, but truth be told, Belle's own struggles couldn't be compared to what Rose faced ever since she was born, and she had never expected that little girl with flushed cheeks and watery eyes to become the determinate young lady standing in front of her.

"You have always been strong Rose," Belle remarked. "Fragile, but strong. And I'm proud."

"Thanks, mama."

Pulling her into a hug, Belle allowed her daughter's petite frame to curl against hers. She was a tiny person, some inches smaller than her, but that also made her very gracious, which Belle had never really been as she had the habit of stumbling around and breaking things with her clumsiness. The lady thought it was a very good thing her girl hadn't taken it from her and used to be as careful as Rumple, most of the time.

She inhaled Rose's perfume, that sweet essence of flowers she wore for a long time and stroke her hair, sliding her hands down the curls and wishing she could play with it, styling like she used to do when she was a child and just like she still did with Colette. However, it made her admit to herself she might be frozen in time, never getting older, but her children weren't and at some point, they would leave her and that would hurt.

"Don't grow up too fast, alright?" Belle almost begged. "You've seen how much the world can be cruel and I want to take care of you for a while more."

"I love you," was everything Rose said as an answer.

Belle kissed her head, letting Rose depart from her and noticing there were some tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. There were sounds of steps behind them and the Dark Lady looked up to see Gideon walking towards them with that little smirk of his - a perfect copy of Rumplestiltskin's.

"Hey, you two," he boy greeted them, caressing his mother's cheek before glancing straight at his sister. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Rose nodded.

Belle knew best than to stay between their matters, so she retired herself, making her way to the kitchen, already thinking about the books she needed to pick at the library for her studying section with Chip. She swung the door open and peeked a look inside.

"Mrs. Potts?" Belle called, but it wasn't her who came from inside the larder. "Oh, hey Agathe. Can you take some tea to your master? He is in our chambers."

The maid shook her head positively promptly, taking the teapot from inside the cabinet and starting to pull up the tray almost immediately.

"Of course, milady."

Smiling briefly at her, Belle turned her back to Agathe and made her way to the library.

* * *

They had taken a walk around the gardens, in search for some privacy, but Chip was there playing with Mr. Dove and was screaming really loudly as he pretended to stab their butler with his wooden sword, which made them decide it might not work for them to talk there. So, saying a couple of amenities, Rose and Gideon went back inside the castle. Brother and sister looked for a quiet, peaceful place on the dining hall, however, Colette was there and Mrs. Potts - who was always all ears to listen to their conversations - was cleaning their father's trophy's, so they ended up at Gideon's bedroom.

Rose approached the windows, looking down at the road outside and wondering when she would be able to see Roland again, as her brother took something from inside his cloak's pocket, before walking to her side and showing it to her. A necklace. There was a silver pendant in it, which had the form of a teardrop and was wrapped in a leather cord.

"I have it," Gideon said proudly. "I know papa wanted to give it to you by himself, but he has a lot on his mind now and last night wasn't good for you, so I thought you could have it earlier."

Her mouth fell open at the realisation of what it really was. Of course, Gideon had been talking unstoppably about his work with their father to produce an improved version of the anti-magic cuffs that blocked her visions, but a part of her didn't expect them to have any success, so seeing the necklace hanging from his fingers, was a real surprise for her. Rose wanted to free herself from her seer powers for a whole lifetime now and if he had come with this gift to her some weeks ago, she would have taken it eagerly, but right now, she couldn't do it.

"Better not," Rose shook her head.

A frown appeared in Gideon's face. He expected her to be all happy and cheerful about it, but she was refusing to put on the necklace and make her own life a little bit easier; he couldn't simply understand that.

"Why? I thought this was what you wanted all along."

"It is, but my latest visions got me worried Gideon," the girl explained. "I think... I want to know everything possible about it."

And she couldn't have been more truthful or sincere with him. Seeing Ella imprisoned made her feel that somehow their family's fate was all enlaced in one tragic fate. She already had Lucy to worry about, now her nephew's wife was also added at the list, alongside with someone she didn't yet know and probably never would, as its life appeared to be fated to end too soon. Gideon, however, couldn't understand it, as he reached to cup her shoulders with his huge hands, a preoccupied expression stamped on his green-gold face.

"Rose, you don't need to. Nobody can change fate, so whatever might happen, will eventually happen," he remembered his sister, offering her the necklace again. "Stop torturing yourself and put it on."

"Not now," she insisted.

The girl still wanted it, that she wouldn't deny, but when their family was in trouble, she felt the duty to understand it all, so maybe she could actually do something, warn someone and for once - just for once - help them cheat the destiny.

"Can you please be a little less stubborn and hear me at least once in your life?" Gideon continued, angrier than before.

"Why would I do that if you never hear me?"

He took a long breath, twisting the necklace's leather cord on his fingers in a nervous act. Gideon hated arguing with her as much as she did, but sometimes it seemed to be a needed thing.

"Come on, sis, we are better than that."

Rose opened her mouth to agree and promise him she would eventually use the necklace, but then a suffocated sound came from down the hall and she jumped, startled. It wasn't something she was used to hear, because it seemed to be a frightened noise echoing in the voice of someone she knew very well.

"Is it our mother?"

"Don't chance the subject..." Gideon adverted her, but them his discourse died when he heard some harsh words being yelled out loud. "Wait. _It is_ mother. She is screaming."

Exchanging a worried glance with Rose, he rushed off of his chambers, heading to his parents' to find out what was going on in there.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin had a few parchments opened in front of him on the desk, all registers Belle had brought from the Dark Realm in their last trip. He had read them a thousand times, trying to find where they had been fooled by that ghostly dealer, but only finding the normal selling they had been doing for a long while now. It was stressful, and the voices echoing in his head, summoning him, only made things worse. The imp sighed, pushing the parchments away and leaning back against his chair.

He was considering going after Belle and ask her to accompany him in a calming walk to the village, when he heard the door being opened and then closed, to allow Agathe in. Rumple's face contracted in a grimace, wishing his wife would have sent Mrs. Potts there, instead of her.

"Excuse me?" Agathe started in a murmur. "Master, may I come in?"

It made him want to roll his eyes. She was already in, so there was no need to ask, and even if it was, she never truly remembered knocking and announcing herself before entering anywhere, which was the biggest reason why she had seen more things in that castle than she should.

"Yes, Agathe," he said, rather harshly. "Where is my tea?"

"Here," she answered quickly, approaching him and placing a tray on the desk.

The maid filled a cup and handed it to the imp, who took it gratefully, taking a long sip and feeling himself relax a little.

"Oh, good, I've been willing to enjoy the evening with my wife, maybe take her to a walk, but I must confess I'm a little bit stressed right now and I needed this first," Rumplestiltskin rambled, his eyes struggling to keep open. And that was when he realised he shouldn't be feeling so sleepy. "What the - "

Looking up at Agathe, the Dark One thought he could have choke the life out of her, just for that smug little smirk that appeared in her lips, as she saw how weak he looked, but when he lifted his hand to use his magic on her, it fell back to his lap with a loud sound. His eyes closed again and he grunted in despair.

"Is something wrong, master?" Agathe asked, innocently.

But he couldn't manage to shout the cruel words he wanted to, at her, because the unconsciousness was already dragging him and without noticing, Rumplestiltskin fainted. Agathe let out a small squeal when she realised her plan had in fact worked; she hadn't really been expecting it too, as everything she tried before failed miserably, but now she had to act and do it quickly.

With some effort, she managed to lift her master from his chair and dragged him to the bed, but then, she had to take a moment to breath before she started to undress him. It was a difficult task, as he was deep asleep, but she didn't enjoy it any less. His green-gold skin was beautiful and she wished he could be awake and wanting her as much as she wanted him, but as Lady Heart pointed out, things needed to be done like this if she truly wanted to be with him forever.

So, after she was done with his clothes, Agathe freed herself from her own, spreading them on the floor, before she got all the lotions Lady Heart had provided her and rubbed them through their bodies to make it look even more realistic. Then, with heart beating fast, the maid grabbed a blanket and pulled over then as she laid by her master's side. For some long time, she just stared at his sleeping face, tracing his chest very carefully with the tip of her fingers, until she gave in and laid her head against his shoulder, closing her own eyes and allowing herself to daydream for a bit.

It didn't last for too long, of course, because the door of the chambers was opened again, and Lady Belle passed through it, too distracted for a moment to realise there were too languid bodies laid in her bed.

"Hey, Rumple, I was thinking..." Belle started, trailing her eyes to the desk, but quickly directing them to the bed when she found it empty. She covered her mouth with both hands, taking some steps back with shock, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Oh, Gods!"

Agathe blinked slowly, pretending to be just awakening. "Milady?"

Belle swallowed hard, her stomach twisting painfully and her heart beating way too fast. Tears came to her eyes and a new kind of hate and anger filled her, making her whole boy seem to be shaking, the blood boiling in her veins. Rumplestiltskin, who had spent the last twenty-one tears professing his undying love for her, was laying naked in their bed, with another woman in his arms.

"You, sick whore," the lady spitted from behind clenched teeth. "Get the hell away from my husband!"

Rumplestiltskin's eyes flew open at the yells coming from her and he looked around with confused eyes, fixing his gaze in Belle, trying to understand in the numbness he found himself, why she was so angry.

"Sweetheart?" The Dark One murmured, before he felt someone moving against him and looked at the woman by his side, shifting away from her. "Agathe? _What the hell?"_

"You slept with her," Belle sobbed.

Tears were streaming down her face and even from where he was, the imp could see her whole body was shaking. He looked down at himself, finding the only thing covering him was a fuzzy blanket, as all of his clothes had been thrown on the floor, just like Agathe's. The scene was too real to be denied, he felt himself covered in what could have been sweat and other things, but he knew nothing had in fact happened. But his wife, however, could only rationalize with what she saw, and _that_ told he had cheated on her with one of the maids.

"No," the imp said in a desperate attempt to make her believe in him. "I - I didn't."

"Yes, he did," Agathe quickly interfered. "He forced me into his bed, milady, it wasn't my fault. I swear."

His eyes narrowed at her as he heard another painful sob leave his wife. Oh, if he didn't do this in the next few minutes, he would certainly do it as soon as he could, but Agathe would pay for this. He would make sure she suffered for trying to make him look like a fool and attempt to ruin his marriage. But just for now, Rumple needed to fix the mess she had done.

"No! Belle, don't listen to her," he insisted. "Nothing happened."

"How dare you say nothing happened when both of you are naked in our bed?" Belle gasped, brushing some tears away from her cheeks. "How could you do that to me?"

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to explain again that all of this was a big misunderstanding, but he couldn't force himself to speak again, not when Belle looked so fragile and all he truly wanted to do was pull her close against his chest, telling her he would never love another. The imp made a movement to stand up and walk towards his wife, but the sight of Gideon and Rose appearing by the doorstep made him freeze in place.

"Mother?"

"Mama, is everything alright?" Rose asked, slightly breathless, before she trailed her eyes to where her mother's gaze was fixed and jumped, startled. "Oh my - "

"Get out!" Belle demanded. "I don't want any of you to see this awful scene."

Gideon turned around, holding his sister's arms and pushing her away from there.

"Listen to her, Rose, get out."

"But..."

Her protest wasn't fully heard, because the door slammed shut, locking her outside of the chambers as Gideon made his way to his mother, embracing her small frame with a look full of rage on his face.

"You slept with Agathe?" The boy inquired, angrily.

"Son, please, listen to me," Rumplestiltskin tried again. "I would never do that!"

By his side, Agathe shifted as if somebody had stabbed her, pressing the blanket around her chest to cover herself as she looked in horror at Belle and Gideon.

"He took advantage of me!"

"You shut the hell up," Gideon commanded, clearly full of hate.

Never before Rumplestiltskin had seen such an angry expression on his face. His son was passive most of the time, even when he was vexed, but now he appeared to be about to explode. However, Agathe didn't take his behaviour as a reason to keep quiet.

"It is not the first time," she continued, sniffling repeatedly. "It has been happening for a while now, but master threatened me. He said he would kill me if I said something."

"She lies," Rumplestiltskin exclaimed, in disbelief.

He could barely believe the things that woman was saying, but his son and wife, seemed to be pretty convinced Agathe's whole drama was true. And encouraged by their shocked faces, the maid slid off of the bed, letting the blanket fall and expose her body.

"No, I'll telling you the truth and I can prove," Agathe said, placing both hands on her stomach. "I'm with child."

Peeking a look at her, even thought that was the last thing he wanted to do, Rumple saw the small curve of her womb, getting obviously swollen with a babe. _But not his._ It could be anyone else's, but he hadn't fathered that child. He looked at Belle, shaking his head at her and seeing how her chin trembled as she tried to contain another sob.

"It is not mine," the imp murmured. "I've never been with her before."

"But were you now?" His wife questioned.

"No!"

Belle looked up at her son in search for some comfort and Gideon's grip tightened around her shoulders as he placed a kiss to her forehead, silently assuring her that no matter what his father had done or not, he would be by her side and he would take care of her. That was who Gideon was, always looking after them and trying to make sure his whole family was alright and Belle had never felt more grateful to have him than in that moment.

"Please, milady," Agathe continued crying, "believe me!"

"I need to get out of here," Belle breathed feeling a wave of nausea, caused by all of this distress. "Take me somewhere else, Gideon."

"Belle, no," Rumplestiltskin begged.

She shook her head at him, allowing her son to take her hand and open the door so they could finally leave the bedroom.

"I don't want to see you again," she told her husband, heart getting shattered inside her chest.

Gideon helped her out and Rumplestiltskin dressed himself with a flourish of his hand, making clean clothes appear on his body as he stood up to follow his wife wherever she planned to go, however before he did it, he couldn't help himself but to shout another look full of despise at Agathe, who at least had had the presence of mind of covering herself again.

"Look at what you've done," he spitted at her.

Then he left his chambers, trailing his way down the stairs where the youngest children must be and where Belle certainly would have gone too. The imp found her in the dining hall, muttering some instructions to Rose and Gideon between her still unstoppable tears. He reached for her, touching her arm and feeling the sadness when she immediately pulled away from his hand.

"Sweetheart," Rumplestiltskin pleaded, "listen to me."

"Out of everything you could have done, sleeping with her is the only thing I wouldn't forgive. And you got her with child, when you know how long I've been suffering, trying to conceive another baby for you," Belle sobbed. "You've broken my heart."

"Oh, darling, no..."

Sniffling, the Dark Lady turned her back to him, hurrying to where Chip and Colette were, a board game between them and offering her hands to both children, smiling forcefully at them behind her tears.

"Come on, Chip, Colette, we are going."

Chip made a frown, but didn't hesitate in accepting his mother's hand.

"Where?"

"Wherever your brother takes us," she shrugged.

And with a simple golden cloud of smoke Belle and all of her children vanished from the Dark Castle, leaving a preoccupied Rumplestiltskin and a confused Mrs. Potts behind. They appeared in the middle of the woods, cloaks already placed on their shoulders to protect them from the cold, but Gideon could see by Colette's wide eyes that she was afraid.

"Mama, where are we?" The little girl asked.

"A friend of mine lives here," he explained. "We are going to see him as soon as I protect the place with spells."

She nodded, but got a fierce hold on their mother's skirt, hiding her face against the fabric as if a giant ogre could appear at any moment. If he had more time to act and think, Gideon would have kneeled by her side and pulled her into a hug, assuring Colette that everything would be fine, so maybe Belle could believe it too. But he didn't have this luxury now, he wasn't even sure if his father was really the man he had always thought he were, so all was left for him was to bring his family some safety and that he would do at any costs.

Concentrating, Gideon closed his eyes and proffered the spell, feeling the magic leaving him to bound a great part of the woods, enough to assure they wouldn't be easily found.

"These are..." Rose started, astonished.

"The same ones that used to make Avonlea invisible to magic," he confirmed. "Father won't be able to track us."

Behind them, Belle started weeping again which made the children stare at her with unsure eyes, confused and afraid of what exactly was going on. Rose bent down to pick Colette and bring her to rest on her arms, while Gideon took Chip's hand and rubbed at Belle's back.

"Mama, it will be fine," the boy promised.

"No, it won't."

He couldn't imagine how awful she was feeling with the scene she had found in her own chambers, but he could take her somewhere she would be able to rest and get over it, so maybe with time they could fix things. Gideon gesticulated in the direction of a small shack which was nestled in the hill, some metres above them.

"Come with me."

All of them followed the boy to the doorstep, Rose already knowing who lived there, and wondering if they would be welcomed after the silly things her brother had said to one of the shack's owners. Secretly, she hoped he wouldn't be home, but when the dark-haired boy opened the door, after just a couple of knocks, she felt herself holding onto a breath.

"Gideon?"

"Hello, Roderick," her brother answered. "I know I should have not come here after all the things I've said to you, but my family needs a shelter and this place was the only one my father would never think of looking for us."

Roderick looked about to deny it, his resentment very clear on the way he narrowed his eyes at Gideon, so Rose stepped forward, cradling Colette firmly against her hip.

"Please," she begged. "Our mother is very shaken and the children are scared."

The boy took a better look at them: the Dark One's family all gathered in front of his door, despair transparent in their faces and as much as he wanted to tell Gideon to get the hell away from there, he felt pity and also compassion. His ex-boyfriend had helped his family a lot and the least he could do, was to offer him the same mercy he did when it was Roderick who needed help.

"You are welcome inside my home, but you must know the place is small."

Gideon smiled, relief filling his chest.

"Thank you, Rod."

He stepped back allowing them inside and Belle followed her children with a little bit of hesitation, looking around the simplest home she had ever entered in her entire life. A couple was sat by a small table, both appearing to be way older than they really were.

"Mother, father, you remember Gideon, right?" Roderick started. "His family needs a shelter."

The mother stood up with some effort, reaching for Gideon's arm and holding onto it to keep herself steady on her feet.

"What happened my dear?"

"My father did something he shouldn't," the boy said simply. "We just need a place to hide for now. I'll pay for our stay."

"We don't need gold or anything else," Roderick's father replied. "We are happy to help with everything we can."

Belle stared at them for a while, grateful to have a place safe from Rumple's eyes where they could stay for a while, but them her stomach started to twist again and she rushed outside, throwing up on the woods.

"Mama?" Rose called, going after her.

"I'm sorry, I feel horrible."

"Come inside please," her daughter cooed. "Let's make a cup of tea."

Without option, she took a deep breath and allowed the girl to lead her back inside the shack, but inside Belle was feeling dead, as if everything she had lived the past twenty-one years were the most horrible lie someone could have created.


	15. Chapter 15

As soon as Rose brought Belle back inside the shack, Gideon found out the place looked really crowded. He had been there a lot of times and never bothered about it being a tiny home, but now, with all of his family gathered around, it looked even smaller than he remembered. Roderick approached him, some concern crossing his face as he leaned against the counter, eyeing the Dark One's son with a little bit of uncertainty.

"We only have two beds, and no much room," the commoner whispered.

"I can make another appear," Gideon guaranteed.

He knew it wasn't the best solution one could find, but was the only one he could move himself to think about now. There was no way they could fit more than one bed in the middle of the living area, but he didn't truly care if he was going to sleep on the cold floor or share a bed with all of his three siblings, because all Gideon wanted right now was to give him mother some time to mend her heart and, by the haunted look on her face, she need it more than he could ever guess.

Belle was a beautiful woman, with those sparkly blue eyes, porcelain skin and auburn hair. Her wisdom and kindness couldn't be compared to anyone else's and even thought she still looked young, thanks to his father's spells, her soul was a well-lived one and nobody could say she wasn't the mother of a twenty-year-old, because Belle acted like it. But it was in moments like those, when her gaze was lost somewhere only she could see and the sadness took place on her features that her age showed the most. It was like the spell was gone and Gideon could almost see the white stripes which should be starting to grown of her hair, just like the wrinkles on her face.

Of course, there was none f it, but still, he could see the weight of a live on her shoulders and he didn't like it. Gideon just wished he could help his mother. He was so lost on his own thoughts that Roderick had to tap a hand on his shoulder to get his attention again. When he looked up, the dark-haired boy had one eyebrow raised to him.

"Three beds and eight people?"

Gideon sighed. He needed a break for himself, so he could get to accept the truth, but that wasn't going to happen in front of Belle, his siblings and Roderick's whole family, so he made his way to the door and gesticulated for the boy to follow him.

"I think we should get some firewood."

Then, he disappeared outside, walking towards the small barn Roderick's family owned, and sitting in one of the straw piles in front of it, not daring to enter, as he knew many memories would come and it was not the right time for them. Roderick came after him, clutching a shawl against his trembling body, a frown stamped on his face.

"It is freezing here, Gideon!"

"I know, I - " there were a lot of things Gideon wished to tell him, many apologies and many stories, but he couldn't find strength to say any of this, because he was too disappointed to thing about another thing other than the Dark One with Agathe. He snorted, frustrated. "My mother caught my father in bed with one of our maids."

"Oh," Roderick mumbled.

The only thing Gideon could do was to nod wordlessly. Truth be told, he never thought something like this could happen and not only because he blindly believed his father's love for his mother's, but also because Rumplestiltskin never really seemed to care about anyone in their household, actually most time he appeared to despise Agathe more than he did most people who annoyed him. Seeing them together and hearing Agathe claiming to be expecting his child, had hurt Gideon as much as it did Belle. He was glad Rose wasn't there to see all of the stupid horror it had become, but sooner or later, they would have to tell her about that.

"I've spent a whole life believing they were one of those hopelessly in love couples who would die in each other's arms after years of marriage and now I found out it was all a lie," Gideon murmured, still full of disbelief.

Finally giving up, Roderick took a seat by his side, looking down at his own hands and rubbing them against each other to keep them warm.

"I'm sorry."

Gideon shook his head, he knew Roderick could feel compassion for his family's situation, but that wasn't going to change anything. It all still had happened and he couldn't just erase the facts from his own memory. But there was something Gideon could do now. It was selfish, yes, but it was also something he felt like he needed to do, more than anything.

"No, I am sorry," the boy replied. "I didn't want to say any of those horrible things to you, but Roderick, I can't lose you and lately I've been feeling that I'm losing everything, so I couldn't bear putting you through any danger."

"I know," Roderick chuckled. He still looked slightly angry, just not as much as he did the night they broke up. "But you're an idiot."

He reached for Gideon's hand, enlacing his cold fingers on the boy's gloved ones. It was the first touch after weeks apart and it told a lot about what they still meant for each other.

"Do you forgive me?"

"Yes, Gideon, I forgive you," Roderick said in a low, sweet tone, touching his face with his free hand. "But don't you dare trying to push me away again."

There was another quiet nod from Gideon, who slowly leaned on to brush his lips against Roderick's, in the softest of the touches, his fingers carding on the other boy's hair when it became a passionate kiss. Every time they were together, they seemed to get lost on what they were doing and there was no need for words. Gideon looked back to the barn and Roderick waved his head positively, following him inside, before locking the door and allow him to approach again, pulling him close.

Carefully, Gideon lifted both his hands, allowing Roderick to take his gloves off, shoving them aside and placing his now bare hands against the cold skin of his face. He bent down for a heated open-mouthed kiss, Roderick's shawl falling on the floor and being followed by his heavy cloak, both of them desperate to feel the closeness they so missed to have, while with each other. And for once, Gideon understood that loving could be healing, because in that moment, as he felt Roderick's body pressed against his, he was not just forgetting about everything that happened back home, but also making amends for the mistake he had done in leaving such an amazing person as him.

Then, later that night, when his cloak covered their tired frames and the straw made a bed for them, Roderick toyed with his hair, as if everything in the world was beautiful and gave him the brightest of the smiles, causing him to feel safe and whole.

"I've missed you," the boy murmured.

"I've missed us," Roderick answered. "I love you, Gid."

A kiss on his forehead. A silent agreement. I love you too.

* * *

Rose didn't quite know what to do. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking, her mother wouldn't stop crying and the children were hungry, as they left without dinner. Roderick's mother served them some soup and tried to distract the two confused little ones while John, the father, took a walk around the shack, settling things down in a clear attempt of making them feel comfortable. She just stood near her mother, offering her a shoulder to cry as her weeping got less constant and she ended up looking down at the floor with weary eyes.

Gideon's disappearance wasn't helping either. Rose couldn't believe he had just brought them there, to a place where they didn't know anyone and just left with his ex-boyfriend, but she was going to make him pay for it later. When he finally reappeared with Roderick by his side, it was already late and both Chip and Colette were extremely tired, leaning against each other in a corner, trying to keep their eyes open. Rose quickly stood up and marched towards her brother, resting both hands on her hips as she casted an angry glare to him.

"Where were you?" The girl questioned, irritated, but then, she noticed both boys had silly smiles on their faces and were way too close for exes. She grimaced, annoyed at them. "Uh, no, please don't tell me, just forget I've said something."

Rolling his eyes, Gideon ignored her. "How is mama?"

Glancing back at Belle, Rose sighed. She was still sat on the same place, paralyzed, as if their father's betrayal had shattered her soul, and unfortunately, it probably did. It hadn't been a moment of her life where Rumplestiltskin and Belle weren't her reference of a true love, but now Rose felt like all she grew up believing just didn't exist and it was painful.

"Broken," Rose answered. "She doesn't even speak with the kids."

"That's bad," Gideon murmured.

"Yeah."

The smile on his face had vanished away and when he brushed Roderick's hand, taking a step forward, Rose knew Gideon was ready to take control of the situation.

"Well, let's put them all to bed. Maybe some rest will do her some help."

Rose nodded, watching as he made a third bed appear in the middle of the living area, alongside with warm blankets. Roderick offered his bed, which was more comfortable than the one on the floor, for Belle and the kids to sleep in, then helped his parents settling down in their own space as his boyfriend walked towards the children, cupping their cheeks and offering them a reassuring smile.

"Gideon, are we going to stay here the whole night?" Colette asked, rubbing her fists against her tired eyes.

"Yes, sweetie," he confirmed, playing with a lock of her curled hair. "Mama is kind of sad right now so can you two help us being very good kids?"

Both children nodded emphatically.

"Nice," he said, winking at them, "so let's get cosy."

Meanwhile, Rose had led her mother to a more private space in the shack where she could help Belle get out of her corset and pull on some night clothes. Usually, she did it herself, but today didn't seem able to reach for the laces and undo them, as lost as her mind appeared to be. Rose didn't mind helping anyway, all she was for her mother to get to feel better. But Belle, however, barely reacted at being dressed like a doll and them taken to the bed, where the children were already sleeping.

She curled herself under the covers, pulling Colette close and hugging her small body as her free hand petted Chip's hair in silence. Rose sat beside them for a moment, a tiny smile appearing on her lips.

"Will you be alright?" She asked her mother. "Do you need something else?"

Shaking her head, Belle reached for her hands, squeezing it between her slim fingers.

"Thank you, Rose," Belle whispered. "Tell your brother I want to be properly introduced to Roderick tomorrow."

"I will," the girl promised.

Pressing a goodnight kiss on the top of her head - just like the own Belle did with her for some many endless nights - she stood up, walking around the dark shack with only one lamp to guide her way. She found the bed on the floor and slipped beneath the blanket, using her brother's chest as a pillow.

"You two won't kiss while I'm here, right?"

A little laugh came from Roderick who was sleeping on the opposite side as her, but Gideon didn't seem to find it so funny as they did.

"Don't be silly, Rosebud."

She rolled her eyes in the dark, although none of them could see it, them, she snuggled against her brother, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. Slowly her mind started to dive into the unconsciousness, but Rose was still awake enough to hear some last bits of a conversation.

"I love seeing how you take care of them," Roderick said, noticing how Gideon pulled the blanket over his sister. "I think you would be a great father someday."

* * *

Mrs. Potts had watched Rumplestiltskin and Belle's argument at the dining hall with a shocked face. She didn't quite know what was happening and had already been trying to understand it when Lady Belle had arrived there in tears, with Gideon and Rose following her with frenetic questions slipping at each second, both of them seeming to be angry and desperate.

In the Dark Castle, there was always a reason for overreacting to things, but this time, Mrs. Potts knew it all looked too different and she expected to get some information as soon as she could have a moment alone with her lady, but then, they vanished and Rumplestiltskin stormed out, breaking all the glassware, as brutal sounds left his mouth and she thought it was better hid in the kitchen for a while. Mr. Dove was there, eating an apple and asked her about the noises coming from the hall, from which she only said it was better to stay away from their master that day.

It was only later, when she had already prepared a pie for dinner and the castle still remained quite without most of the family in it, that Agathe appeared in the kitchen, eyes reddish and swollen. The maid turned around, taking a great look on her and noticing by the way the shame seemed to be stamped on her face, that she was the responsible for everything that happened earlier.

"What have you done?" Mrs. Potts immediately asked, pointing a spoon at her as she narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"What I should have long ago," Agathe sniffled. "I took what was mine."

"What do you mean?"

The girl opened her mouth to answer it with all of the stubbornness there was still left in her, but then, a purple cloud of smoke appeared right behind her, to bring an angry Rumplestiltskin with it.

"Agathe," he said being clenched teeth. "I want to speak to you alone. Now!"

Shrinking slightly, she nodded.

"Yes, master."

However, she didn't make any effort to move and Mrs. Potts watched with wide eyes as he grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the kitchen with an irritated grunt, making small protests leave the maid. She stood near the door, where she could hear the conversation, because if Agathe had done anything to her lady, then Mrs. Potts wouldn't miss the opportunity to yell at her again.

"What has got into your mind, silly girl?" Rumplestiltskin inquired, harshly. "Both you and I know this child you are carrying is not mine, so what were you thinking you would earn by planning that little scene other than being expelled from my home?"

A gasp left Mrs. Potts mouth and she opened a crack of the door to take a look at them, seeing that Agathe had shielded herself with her own arms, folding them against her chest as her eyes wandered around the hall, avoiding to meet their master's.

"I - I - "

"Let me tell you something," the Dark One said, very slowly, his threatening tone appearing again. "If I can't find my wife and children you will pay for what you did."

"But the child..."

 _Stupid girl_ , Mrs. Potts thought. She couldn't believe Agathe had really done something like that, she knew the girl was obsessed with Rumplestiltskin, but sleeping with someone just to get pregnant and make him think the child was his? That was the most absurd idea in the world. And their master was the Dark One! She must be wanting death, that was for certain.

"I'm not one to harm an innocent, but you won't be pregnant forever," Rumple guaranteed.

"What if this is yours?" Agathe shouted back, with a little bit more of courage this time. "Would you harm the mother of your babe?"

An incredulous chuckle left him. Not matter how hard she tried, she couldn't really fool the Dark One; she might have scared Lady Belle temporarily, but when they came back, she was going to wish she never tried something in first place.

"Unless I have taken a very strong memory potion I can guarantee you this child is not mine."

"What if you did?"

Slowly turning around to look at her, Rumplestiltskin yelled: "Disappear!"

Agathe jumped in place, but as quick as magic, she got out of the dining hall, leaving their master alone to his own anger.

* * *

Belle woke up with the feeling the day prior could have been just an awful nightmare and nothing had truly happened, so she was in bed with her husband, about to receive some kisses and maybe some pleadings for her to stay with him for a while more, however, when she opened her eyes that was not the reality she found. She was barely feeling her arm, as Colette had slept above it and Chip had pushed them to one of the corners of the bed, taking the other one all for him.

A sigh left her as Belle gently departed from her children, stretching her sore body and slipping off of the bed, looking around to find everybody was still very fast asleep, just like the kids, with the only exception of Roderick's mother, who was standing in front of the oven, preparing something. The lady walked towards her with a tiny smile on her lips and took at seat by the small table.

"Good morning," Belle said, causing her to look back behind her shoulder. "You're Mary, right? Excuse my poor memory if I'm wrong."

"No, it is right," she shook her head, taking a couple of mugs and placing them on the table in front of her. "We have never had a lady on this house before."

The tiniest of the laughs came from Belle's throat as she traced the lines of the table, worrying at her lip. She had been a princess from birth, a maid of work for a while, and become the Dark Lady in marriage, but only now Belle realised that who she was, was directly linked with who the man in her life were, and without them, she was reduced to nothing. It sounded unfair and made a new-found rage settle on her chest as she thought that was the last thing she wanted to her daughters: to be fated to be the reflex of a man.

There was a time, far away in the past in which she had felt like she decided her own life. Her first two children had been born without the weight of any titles on their backs, as they were merely bastards, which the society considered an absurd, but now, Belle could see, was actually a blessing. Back then, nobody decided her life, she had nothing to care about or any image to preserve. She did what she wanted, she cared only for who she wished and unfortunately it was impossible to have it back now.

"I'm not one for high titles," the lady mumbled. "It is just Belle."

And for as long as they remained there, in that shack, it really was. Belle still felt the pain of her broken heart, but also felt lighter to think for a while she was out of reach and could simply use some time to get herself together without having to be Rumplestiltskin's wife. It just didn't mean she was any less shaken by his betrayal, mainly because she could have never expected it. Belle had seen the Dark One's worst side, his darkest moments and she knew he was capable of a lot of things, but from all she could have foreseen him doing, sleeping with Agathe wasn't one of those things.

She had always been sure of his love for her, even when he wouldn't admit it, and Belle secretly held a huge pride inside her, for being the only one capable of turning him on. _Until now, at least_. Belle looked up, to see Mary coming close to her; she was a woman who looked about fifth years old or so, half of her hair was grey and she held a shawl around her shoulders, helping to keep her warm. The shack was very cold, the thin walls made with wood, not enough to keep the still freezing days from giving them chills.

"I am sorry to hear what happened to you, Belle, but you and your children can stay for as long as you need," Mary said, lifting the teapot. "Your boy, Gideon, has been my family's benefactor for long and we will be forever grateful for everything he did for us."

"He is a good boy," Belle smiled.

The other woman nodded.

"Tea?"

"Yes, please," she replied, but her glance, wasn't fixed in Mary anymore, but in her son, who was sleeping peacefully on the mattress at the floor with Rose curled to one of his sides and Roderick laying his head against his other shoulder. It was a sweet image and she couldn't help but wonder for how long he had been hiding this from her. "So, are they in love?"

Mary's eyes got wide for a second. Surely, she didn't expect Belle to ask such a thing or to even notice how the boys were sleeping close to each other, when she was still so hurt, but no matter how much Belle's heart had been broken, she would always have the presence of mind of paying attention to her children. Actually, she was now feeling stupid for haven't realised yet why Gideon always refused his father's offers of trying to present him to some ladies.

"For all that I know, yes."

"Good," the Dark Lady affirmed. "I have always wanted him to find happiness and I've always told his father that marrying him with some rich girl wouldn't do it."

Roderick's mother laughed slightly and served herself with some tea, taking a seat in front of Belle, who still couldn't take her eyes away from her children. She watched as Rose started to move, sluggishly and yawned before rubbing her fist against her eyes and blinking them open. The girl sat on the bed, pulling the blanket away from herself and walking towards he mother.

"Mm, good morning," Rose murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead and stealing her still untouched teacup. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I need to do something that makes me feel useful," she answered. "Do you have a task for us, Mary?"

Taking some time to think, she tapped a finger against her chin.

"Well, you could bring us water and maybe pic some vegetables for lunch. We have potatoes and carrots."

"Nice," Belle said, standing up and offering her hand to Rose. "Will you accompany me?"

Rose looked back, glancing at Chip and Colette, still asleep in the other end of the shack, but she knew her if her siblings needed attention, then in that moment, so did her mother, and without Belle, they weren't complete. So, she made a quick flourish and changed their nightclothes for proper gowns.

"Yeah, Gideon can handle the children by himself."

Belle gave her the best smile she had managed to fake ever since the night prior, and they went out, ready to do some work.

* * *

It took them a few hours to fill a basket with the potatoes and carrots, then go to the river and take some water, but Rose kept talking cheerfully all along, in an attempt to distract Belle from their problems. The lady was grateful, of course, but it was impossible to not get herself thinking about Rumple as they worked, however it was easier to not do this when her daughter was giggling as rambling about blackberries.

When they made it back to the shack, Gideon was chasing the kids around as Colette and Chip laughed out loud when he caught them and tickled their bellies, before seeing they had returned and sent the pair back inside with Roderick, who had been watching them. He stood up, straightening his cream clothes and folding his arms against his chest.

"So, I wake up and none of the ladies are around..."

"We brought vegetables for lunch," Rose shrugged.

"Good, now go try make something out of them without using magic."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but Rose knew she couldn't contest this. It was very rare, the occasions she found herself inside their kitchen at the Dark Castle and most of the times she did, it was to steal some food Mrs. Potts had just prepared and not to actually make something. Rose could say she had inherited her mother's skills for cooking.

"Idiot."

"You love me," Gideon remarked as she passed by him, carrying a huge bottle of water. He fixed his gaze in his mother, who was holding a giant basket full of vegetables against her chest and offered to take it from her. "I think you can use some help."

"Thank you, Gideon," Belle nodded, allowing him to hold it.

He thought about going straight back to the shack, but there were things they needed to discuss, even if they didn't want to, because yesterday their lives were completely different from what they were now and for the sake of the whole family, someone needed to take control of the situation.

"Mama, I'd like to know what do you intend to do next," he started. "Where do we go from here?"

"I don't want to go back home," Belle confessed, looking down at her shoes. "I - I can't."

"That's alright, we don't need to, but we can't keep living in this shack forever," Gideon remembered. "Maybe we could try another realm? I've heard Arendelle is a pretty good place. A bit too cold, but nice."

She bit down her lip and he knew it wasn't a good sign. Gideon hated to be the one forcing his mother to face reality when that was the last thing she wanted to do, but he wanted her to know they had options. He would understand if she never wanted to step a foot back on the Dark Castle, but Avonlea was still hers to have and they weren't poor people, they could go wherever they wished to.

"Can we decide this later? I don't feel like talking about it right now."

"Alright," he sighed, "anything you want."

But out of what he imagined, she didn't go back inside, but grabbed his arm and gesticulated at Roderick with a swift movement of her chin. He didn't understand what she was pointing at – only for the obvious, as the boy was staring openly at them – but when Belle spoke again, he swallowed hard.

"Will you talk about him?"

"What? Roderick?" Gideon mumbled. "He is a very good friend."

His mother raised only one inquisitive eyebrow at him, sceptically.

"Do you share a bed with all of your friends?"

"Mother! We had three beds and eight people," the boy answered with a certain despair, his cheeks getting immediately flushed. "And Rose was there. _Gods!"_

"I know, just as I'm certain that you're not telling me everything I should know."

 _She knew._ It hit him hard. But of course, she knew. It never took much time for his mother to find every single important thing about him or his siblings; she knew them well enough. And now he felt bad, because he always wanted to be sincere with his mother, but the fear prevented him from doing so whenever he tried to start speaking, so now he she not only knew his secret, but also knew he had lied to her. Gideon felt ashamed.

"I fear you will be disappointed with me," he murmured.

"Disappointed? Because you've found love?" Belle inquired, full of disbelief. "No, my sweet boy, _never_."

"I know that is not what you expected - "

The boy had his eyes fixed on the ground, fearing to look up at his mother and see he had caused her any kind of deception, mainly now, when she already had so many things on her mind.

"Gideon, look at me," his mother said, firmly, taking his face in hands and making his eyes meet hers. "Everything I have ever expected from the moment you were born, was that someday you could find happiness. Who you love does not change a thing about you to me. You're so good, so special... You deserve someone who cares about you, just like I can see Roderick does."

Some tears escaped his eyes. Gideon wasn't much of crying and he certainly felt like a little boy doing so, but Belle was looking at him with eyes so full of love, that all of his fears seemed to be stupid now. He should've now right from the start, she would never let him down and wouldn't stop loving him just because he didn't want the future he was supposed to have.

"I'm sorry, mama," Gideon wobbled. "I wish I had told you this right from the start and I wish I could have done it in a better moment. I know how hurt you are."

"It doesn't matter, alright?" Belle assured him, brushing his tears away. "I love your father, but _I will_ get over it."

He threw his arms around her small frame, pulling her into a tight hug and breathing a little lighter just to know how accepted he was. Belle was no one to fear, he realised and she would always spread love and kindness around. Gideon departed from her, dropping the basket on the floor, so he could help Belle straightening her curls, which had become a little messy, but then, there was a noise coming from behind them and he turned around to see Roderick was awkwardly standing near them, a little preoccupied with all the tears.

"Gid," he started. "Can I offer some help?"

"No," the boy said with a shake of his head, "actually, Roderick I wanted you to officially meet my mother, Lady Belle of Avonlea."

Roderick chuckled. He had already met Belle yesterday, they had already talked but the smile on his boyfriend's face was so big he could have been introduced to his mother a thousand times and it wouldn't have been enough to pay for it.

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, milady."

"I can tell you the very same," Belle smiled, covering his hand with hers.

Gideon thought he wanted everything to be that easy.


	16. Chapter 16

A couple of weeks passed, before Rumplestiltskin became too desperate to contain himself. He was always at the edge of his feelings, storming with everyone and anyone; he couldn't stand the sight of Agathe and kept her locked in the dungeons where he knew he wouldn't accidentally see her wandering around. The imp wanted to throw the girl out of his castle, and show no mercy to her, but he knew Agathe would have nowhere to go, and as much as he hated her and wished the worse for the girl in that moment, he couldn't do it knowing the babe she was carrying would be fated to suffer. He might be a monster, but not one of the kind who would help ruining a child's life.

It just didn't erase any of the terrible things she did. He was trying to find his family for too long now, but no matter how hard he tried, it only seemed as if they had disappeared of that realm and it was incredibly frustrating. It had been years since the last time Rumplestiltskin felt lonely, he was always surrounded by them, his children and his beautiful wife, but now they were gone and suddenly, the house was empty, quiet and cold. His one and only wish was to find them, so he could explain everything that had really happened and beg Belle forgiveness for seeing such a nasty scene.

He felt as he had been as violated as Rose had been by Keith, with what Agathe did and he wouldn't forgive her for planning any of this. However, Rumplestiltskin wasn't a stupid person, he knew very well the maid wouldn't have been able to plot those things alone and he worked with the possibility of someone helping her, in order to ruin his marriage. Who was mad enough to attempt messing with the Dark One, he had no idea, but he would find out.

Rumple was standing in his laboratory, working with a new kind of tracking spell and using one of Chip's favourite toys to locate him, and consequently, the others. He dropped some bat wings inside his cauldron and reached for the tubes, trying to find the ogre's blood he had stocked, when a voice stopped him.

"Father?"

The imp turned around, slightly afraid of doing it and seeing an empty room, which would only confirm he had gone mad, but what he really saw was his oldest boy, standing in there, with uncertainty shinning in his warm brown eyes.

"Gideon," he mumbled, surprised, before throwing his arms around him. "Oh, gods, I've been trying to find you for weeks now!"

"I know, we don't want to be find," Gideon answered, harshly, pulling away from him. "My mother is still suffering with what you did."

He breathed in, feeling his heart flip painfully inside his chest, at his son's words. Rumplestiltskin had seen it for himself, of course, the broken look on Belle's face when she found him in bed with Agathe, but a small part of him hoped the time had helped healing her wounds, so when they meet again, she wouldn't be so sad or angered. However, that didn't seem to have happened.

"Son, I didn't sleep with Agathe. It was a lie, a sick plan she executed to get what she wanted," the Dark One said, trying to defend himself the best way he could. "I love Belle. I just want to tell her this."

Gideon shook his head, never meeting his gaze. He too appeared to be shaken by those lies.

"I don't know what to believe anymore, but I know that I need to help mama and she doesn't want to see you right now."

"Listen, I know what you saw and what it seemed to have just happened, but I would never do that, Gideon. For all gods' sake, you know how much Agathe has always annoyed me," Rumplestiltskin insisted. "Even if I were to sleep with another woman, it wouldn't be her!"

The boy considered it for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, as he remembered about the maid's strange behaviour around his father and how he always yelled angrily at her. He knew what Rumple said was the truth, because if he were to sleep with anyone else, it wouldn't be with Agathe. Even Mrs. Potts seemed a reasonable option, _as absurd as it sounded_.

"I know, at least a part of me does, but I keep asking myself how you, the Dark One, could have been fooled by a simple maid,"

"She wasn't acting alone, that I am certain," Rumplestiltskin guaranteed, tipping his fingers together in that old nervous habit of his. "Someone is plotting against me and using that stupid girl to torn us apart."

Again, Gideon furrowed. He hadn't considered it all must be part of a bigger plan against his family, but then he remembered about the people who attacked him and his sister on the road and how the man had said his father's days as the Dark One were counted, and suddenly, it all made sense.

"But who?"

"I don't know yet, that's what I'm trying to find."

"Do it then, papa," Gideon said with a nod. "I'll help you with what I can, by searching myself. I just need to ask you to stop looking for us now."

Rumplestiltskin shook his head, because he wouldn't give up on that. He needed his family with him and not just because he was feeling lonely, but also because he wanted to protect them and if there was someone hunting him, then whoever it might be, would soon look for the place where he kept his heart: Belle and the children. They were his weakness and it made them a target to anyone who wanted to hurt him.

"I need to talk to your mother, Gideon, I need explain everything to her."

"Give her time, please," his son begged. "I promise I'll take care of them."

But it wasn't enough for him. There was too much to be said and done and Gideon couldn't just take the responsibility of watching for the whole family himself. But the boy, as stubborn as both him and Belle were, wouldn't listen to the father. He waved a hand in the air and a golden cloud of smoke took him away.

"Gideon," the Dark One yelled to the already empty laboratory. "Gideon!"

There was no one there to hear. He was alone again.

* * *

Belle was feeling nauseous again. She hated it, she was sad, angry, heartbroken and now her body decided to work against her too. Most time, she tried to pretend eating something other than bread, but she knew the children were keeping an attentive eye on her, so she decided it was better let them think everything was fine and ate all she could in front of them. But truth be told, anything other than the basic to keep her alive, was killing her stomach, which was certainly odd, because never before she had felt so miserable.

Perhaps it was the pains of her soul that were helping to make everything way more difficult, but she wasn't sure. All Belle knew right now, while she walked around the market with Rose, Chip and Roderick, was that Mrs. Potts always prepared her some chamomile tea in those occasions and she was dying to have a cup of it. However, Belle needed discretion, she wasn't ready to open up with anyone and she knew Rose would be walking beside her like a shadow all the time, so she made-up an excuse.

"Rose, darling, can you buy some rosemary for me?"

"Mm, sure," she started, looking away from the ribbons she had been analysing to stare at Belle, "but why don't you come along?"

When the words left her mouth, Belle had already disappeared in the crowd. She walked as fast as she could, glad no much people truly knew her face - because of course, she had a reputation as the Dark Lady, but not everyone knew her in person - so there was no need to worry somebody would recognise her, and she looked around the market, trying to find a herbal tent. The lady ended up to locate it in a distant corner and it was gladly empty, so when he stopped in front of it, the owner quickly came to her direction.

"How can I help you?"

She was a chestnut-haired woman, years older than her, who wore a black gown, which she found rather odd, because most women preferred colourful pieces, but Belle was too desperate to pay much attention to anyone's clothes, for more than a couple of seconds.

"Chamomile, please," Belle begged.

"Sure, it cams the stomach, right?" The woman inquired, passing her fingers through the chamomile mounds. "You look pale, I think some peaches would help."

Taking one of the fruits in her hands, she offered it to Belle, who grimaced at sight of that perfectly round peach, a fruit she so used to love, but now made her stomach twist painfully.

"Not, now," she shook her head, refusing it. "My... Stomach doesn't like them lately."

"I see," the lady pointed out, laying the fruit back in place, as a dangerous smirk played on the corners of her mouth. "You don't seem very happy either. But I have some potions that can take care of unwanted problems."

"Unwanted..." Belle started, then she looked down, covering her belly with one hand and waved her head at the woman. "Oh, no, thank you. I do think it is not the right moment for it, but there is nothing unwanted about a child to me."

Her corset could still be tied up tightly, so nobody would notice the bump, but she knew she wouldn't be able to hid it for long. Tears filled her eyes just to think about it, because she had spent a really long time wanting for another child, afraid she would have to watch her older ones leave and be left alone, frozen in time, while the generations passed, but now that she had what she wanted, Belle only felt more pain. First, because she should be sharing this moment with Rumple and he didn't even know about her pregnancy - actually, he had another child to care for now, while she was there feeling sick and miserable - and second, because after what had happened, the last time they spoke to each other, she thought it was better if she had remained as infertile as she seemed to be, for the past few years.

But sure, it had to happen at the worse moment. It just didn't make that baby less wanted than any of her children had been and she would never consider taking a potion to get rid of it.

"What happened then, my dear?" Continued the woman. "Did you get involved with the wrong man?'

"So, it seems," Belle sighed. "I just discovered it way too late."

The lady's lips tightened in a line, but somehow Belle could see a tiny smile still hid itself behind it.

"Are you sure you don't want the potion?"

"Just the chamomile," she guaranteed.

Nodding, the woman handed it to her and Belle payed with some silver coins, before making her way back to where she had last seen the children, but she didn't need to go all the way over there, because Roderick was coming into her direction with a huge grin of relief in his lips.

"Lady Belle! We were looking for you," the boy said.

"Rose is worried," Belle guessed.

"Yes."

A small laugh came up her throat.

"She is a sweetheart, but is acting as if she was my mother and _that_ is slightly irritating."

Roderick chuckled in agreement. Along the last weeks, he had decided he liked Gideon's mother very much. She was sad right now, but she knew how to hide it very well when she wanted, because she was a funny, kind and gentle lady.

"I think all of them are sick worried about you," he bounced.

"I've been doing great, don't you think?"

"Well, my mother likes to have you around. You help her a lot and get her on a better mood."

It was the truth, he had never seen Mary looking healthier than she did, ever since Gideon's family came to their shack, asking for a shelter. It seemed that helping people was like a cure for her constant illness and he barely saw her coughing in a long time.

"I like your mother, she is nice," Belle smiled, taking his arm to hook hers around it, which made Roderick jump in place with the surprise. "What?"

"I'm just glad you don't dislike me," he giggled. "Gideon had always been so afraid of telling you about our relationship that I guess I started to think you would hate me at first sight."

"Oh, Roderick..."

"And I couldn't imagine you were so kind," he finished.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, assuring him silently that his fears were pointless. Belle could never even dislike someone who loved her son the way Roderick loved Gideon, and although she knew both of them were pretty afraid of how the society would eventually judge them, she wouldn't be one of those people. _Not now nor never_.

"Thank you for all the compliments then," she murmured. "But I could never hate you. Actually, I think you're a really nice boy and I'm glad my son has you by his side."

A big smile spread in Roderick's lips and he lead her through the market, certain that he couldn't be more luck. However, at distance, in the shadows of the tents, Lady Heart watched them go, with a frown on her face, knowing she needed to take another step on her plan.

* * *

She woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Rose's desperate screams. It took Belle a while to wake fully and take Chip and Colette away from her embrace, without awaking them too, for her to get up and walk to the place where the third mattress was set, but once Belle found it, she realised Rose was already back to sleep, curled beneath a blanket with Roderick staring at her in concern. She looked around to find Gideon sat by the kitchen's table, a lamp lighted up in front of him.

"I've heard her screaming," Belle said, sliding to the empty seat beside her boy.

"Visions," Gideon mumbled.

She reached for the small basket, opening it and taking one of the breads she had helped Mary baking that afternoon, from there, parting it on the middle.

"Yeah," she murmured, offering the food to her son. "Do you want some bread?'

"Sure, midnight snacks are my weakness."

Gideon took it from her with a weary smile. Belle had always admired his ability of soothing Rose, and there was a part of her which would always be proud of how Gideon took care of his youngest siblings, but she also worried about him, mainly when he looked as tired as he did now. She felt guilty to be adding to their problems, but Belle couldn't regret that child.

"Gideon," she started, touching his arm. "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

She took a long breath, gathering some courage as she worried at her lip for a brief second, watching how her son's eyes carefully analysed her, trying to understand what she wanted to say.

"I'm with child."

"You're expecting a baby?" Gideon blinked with disbelief, glancing down at her stomach and reaching a hand to touch it, feeling the firm curve, which had already taken form. "How long have you known?"

"Not for long," Belle sighed, blinking some tears away. "It was supposed to be a good surprise for your father, but..."

The phrase died in her lips. She had waited for so long and now, Rumple wasn't there. Gideon touched her wet face and Belle realised she was crying, for a moment she closed her eyes, breathing in and out slowly as she caressed her belly.

"It is alright, mama. I'm here and I won't let you or my siblings wish for nothing."

"Thank you, my boy, but it wasn't supposed to be your job," Belle answered, holding his hand tight. "You shouldn't be worrying about us."

"But I am, and we are going to be fine, alright?" Gideon promised. "Now I just need you to stop mourning the past and be healthy for this babe."

Belle giggled. He sounded so adult she needed to admit for a brief second that he really was one. Now, when they woke up in the middle of the night, it was Gideon who murmured words of encouragement for her, to get Belle to go back to sleep with a lighter heart, not the other way around. Her son didn't need her anymore, but she apparently, still needed him.

"Alright," she said pulling on a tiny smile for him.

Belle stood up, leaving her untouched midnight snack aside, intending to go back to bed and drown herself into dreams where things were still good enough for her to feel safe, but Gideon's voice stopped her, his hand holding her wrist to keep her in place.

"Mama, will you tell papa about this?"

He quickly eyed her middle section and Belle sighed shaking her head at him.

"I - I can't," the lady said. "Not right now."

Then she made her way back and slipped inside the covers.

* * *

Mrs. Potts walked down the dungeons with a tray on her hands. It had been tough days there in the Dark Castle and she barely had a routine. Rumplestiltskin was too distressed to eat and his presence there now was just a distant loud sound, as he was always breaking something or grunting furiously about his failed attempts of finding his family. The maid had no idea how Lady Belle and the others managed to hid from him like this, but she knew Master Gideon and Lady Rose weren't fools, they knew very well how to perform a good spell.

But it didn't make things easier. What Agathe had done was wrong and she still had to pay for that, but as soon as Rumplestiltskin found Belle the faster he could explain everything for her, so they could take their lives back.

When she entered the cell Agathe was on, Mrs. Potts found the girl laying on the bed, both hands placed on her protuberant stomach as she stared at the ceiling. The maid pulled the tray on a small table that had been set on the corner, with a jar of water and a silver cup.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't need your pity," Agathe answered, harshly, wiping the corner of her eyes.

"I didn't come here to pity you," Mrs. Potts replied, taking the plate that contained meat and cheese and offering it to her. "I brought you food."

Agathe waved her head, rolling to the side, so her back was turned to Mrs. Potts and she faced the wall.

"I don't want to," the girl complained with a sniff. "Let me die."

"Stop being so stupid," Mrs. Potts insisted. "Think about your child!"

A grunt left her throat as she sat up on the bed, narrowing her eyes dangerously at the other maid. She had been locked inside those dungeons for too long now and it only made her hate Lady Belle more and wish her dead, because nothing she would ever do, would bring her Rumplestiltskin's love as long as that woman was alive.

"I _don't want_ this child," Agathe yelled at Mrs. Potts. "I thought it would give me Rumplestiltskin, but all it brought me was a permanent stay in this sick place!"

"Fine! You want to die?" The maid inquired, angrily. "Well, I think you deserve it, because what you did to master and milady was a horrible thing and nobody with some goodness in their hearts could have planned such a thing."

Taking the tray again, Mrs. Potts left the dungeons, knowing she wouldn't go back there to offer that girl anything. If she had hunger, then she would have to look for food herself.

* * *

Gideon was sat by the table in Roderick's kitchen, hearing his siblings bouncing around his mother, shoving a million questions at her, as Rose laughed slightly at them. Belle had told the children earlier she was going to have another baby and after Rose insisted for a while that their father must know about it - and received the same answer Gideon had - it was the kids' time to have her attention. Colette was delighted with the news, already hoping for a girl, while Chip seemed a bit annoyed.

He wished he cared enough to go talk to his little brother, but Gideon had a lot to worry about that had nothing to do with him. This wasn't a good time for a pregnancy, they had too much going on in their lives and baby was the last thing they needed, however he couldn't help but feel at least a bit relieved to see his mother smiling again. And her eyes didn't seem to be haunted as they had been the past few weeks, as Colette started to talk with her belly, poking a finger at it and making Rose chuckle at the sight.

The boy laughed for himself, as he played with the feather he was holding, glancing back at the parchment in front of him and re-reading the only paragraph he wrote until now. Gideon felt somebody approaching him and looked back to see Roderick taking a seat by his side.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing a letter to my brother, Baelfire," Gideon explained. "I think I could use some help."

There was a new loud laugh and both boys glanced at where his family was gathered, probably guffawing at something one of the kids had said. Belle shared an amused look with Rose and Roderick laid a hand on his knee, smiling widely at the scene.

"She seems happier lately," Rod said, pointing at Belle. "Happier and somehow more distant too."

"I think it must have something to do with the fact we are growing up. My mother looks scared every time we celebrate a birthday, but I think I do understand her," Gideon replied with a snort. "She is seeing us go away, but she is not going anywhere."

That was the truth. His mother seemed to refuse to see it for herself but he knew must have been killing her inside. Sometimes, being immortal was pointless and she must have already realised that.

"It sounds sad," Roderick murmured.

"It is."

 _Tragic_ , Gideon wanted to add, but he actually didn't, because he knew his mother had made a choice, years ago when his father offered to keep her young. She loved him way too much, to let him see her grow old and then spend a whole eternity without her, but she hadn't realised at that time, she would have to face the very same thing, but with her children and that over lasting them would be so painful.

Roderick was drumming his fingers on Gideon's knee and he slowly trailed his glance to him, analysing his boyfriend's expression and deciding something was bothering him. The boy considered asking what was it, but then he started to speak for himself.

"Listen, I was meaning to ask you something," Roderick started, hesitantly. "That night I saw you in the tavern, you were with a woman, and I... I started to wonder if you were reconsidering your choices."

Gideon narrowed his eyes, the remembrances coming up to surface and bringing some rage with them.

"You were with another man!"

"You said you didn't want to see me again," Roderick yelled back.

Everyone in the shack adverted their gazes to them, some shock and confusion appearing in their expressions. Gideon felt his cheeks start to burn with colour as Colette made her way to them, with a concerned frown on her small face.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, sweetie," he guaranteed, "we are just talking."

She didn't take it the way he expected, though, folding her arms and lifting her chin in a way that remembered him of Rumplestiltskin very much.

"If you scream, you'll scare mama's babe!"

"I'm going outside, right?" Gideon proposed with a chuckled, standing up and gesturing for Roderick to accompany him.

Following in silence, the dark-haired boy waited for him to say something, but Gideon still needed to take a long deep breath to calm himself before speaking, because after all, thinking about Roderick with another boy still angered him a whole lot.

"I was not reconsidering my choices," Gideon assured him, "I was angry, I wanted you to believe I slept with her."

"Well, good work, because I did."

Roderick sounded really bothered with that, but it didn't mean he hadn't felt heartbroken too when he first saw him at the tavern. Both of them had managed to hurt the other that night, however, only Gideon did it intentionally.

"What about that guy?"

"It didn't work out, alright?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "I'm sorry Roderick."

Opening his arms, Roderick enlaced his waist and curled himself against Gideon inhaling his perfume and relishing in having him there.

"I'm sorry too," Roderick whispered, "now we better not scare any more children with our fights."

Exhaling a low laughed, Gideon kissed the top of his head, caressing his hair for a second.

"Let's take a walk."


	17. Chapter 17

Roland climbed up the stairs of the tavern to the upper floor, looking around, a bit uncertain, knowing most of the rooms were probably being occupied by travellers, who decided to stop for a night, but not having idea in which one of them were his girlfriend. When Rose sent him a message, saying he should meet her there, Roland didn't hesitate. There had been a lot of time since he last saw her, but he forgot to ask about the room's number and now he felt lost.

Peeking a look at the end of the hallway, Roland saw only one opened door and stepped in carefully. It was a simple room with a bed, a desk and chair, huge windows allowing the sunlight in.

"Rose?" He called. "Are you there?"

There was no answer at first, but then, there was a loud sound beside him and Rose appeared, brought by golden magic.

"Boo!"

"Dear gods, you're spending too much time around your little siblings," the boy rolled his eyes, but she only laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I've missed you."

"I know, I miss you too."

The door behind them was shut with magic and Rose trailed her fingers through his hair, kissing his chin before simply staring at him. She looked different from the last time they saw each other, not bearing the same broken look on her eyes, but yet, not quite healed too. And Roland suspected the fact her parents split had something to do with that too.

"Your father is going to get crazy if you don't talk to him," Roland started. "I saw him in my castle three times this week, that's a record. My mom is pretty mad. She hates when he keeps popping up, looking for answers she doesn't have."

Rose's glance fell to the floor and she departed from him, taking a seat on the bed and placing the small leather bag she was carrying, on the nightstand.

"I'm sorry if papa is bothering your family, but mama won't talk to him so soon," the girl sighed, but didn't meet his eyes.

Walking towards her, Roland allowed himself to sit by her side, taking her hand in his and rubbing at her palm with his long fingers. He longed for an eye contact, for her to let him know what was happening, because everything now was pretty weird and confusing for him. Of course, he knew about the mess her maid, Agathe, had made and all that came after that, but Roland couldn't understand how a simple girl was able to part such a united family.

"Why not? In your letter you said you were pretty sure everything was a made-up lie from Agathe."

"Yeah, but my mother is really sensible right now. She won't listen to anyone," Rose shrugged. "I've been trying to put some sense into her mind, but she is too stubborn."

 _Like you_ , he wanted to add, but didn't dare to say anything that could potentially hurt her right now. Rose had gone through a hell lot since last winter and he should stand by her and not make things worse.

"That's not good," Roland murmured.

"Agreed," she snorted and finally, looked up at him. When she did, there were tears in her eyes. "I miss him, you know? And I'm sure my siblings do too, but there is nothing we can do about it… I just wish I could help fixing things."

Roland cupped her cheek, brushing some tears she had let fall, from her face. He hated to see her crying and he wished he could protect her from any harm.

"Hey, babe, this is your parents' problems, not yours."

"I know, but I had a family, Rol, one that would stick together through the thick and thin and now we are apart," Rose sniffled, leaning her head against his chest. "It is not right."

He stroked her hair very gently, inhaling her scent and pulling her a little bit closer. Roland didn't know, but she was feeling safer and comforted in his arms than she did anywhere else for the past weeks. Rose knew her whole family was trying to stand by each other and do the right thing, but they were all hurt, confused and missing their old life like crazy, so they couldn't do much to fix each other's heart, when theirs were broken too.

"I guess I can get what you mean," Roland said. "Your parents have always been a reference of love without boundaries. Nobody would ever think they would break up like this."

"Yeah," she agreed, feeling that if they continued with that subject she would get overwhelmed by some kind of sadness she didn't want to keep feeling. Rose changed positions, looking straight at Roland's eyes and saying: "but can we not talk about my family right now? You're my distraction and I'd like to be distracted."

A small laugh left him as he pulled her into a kiss, one that made her heart race and some strange feeling boil on her belly. It was a tickling coldness, a strange pressure that made her want more of it.

"I wish I could take you somewhere very far away from all of this," Roland mumbled, trailing his nose down her neck and making her giggle, before he kissed a sensible point on her throat and made her shiver.

"Let's go to the land without magic then," she proposed. "My brother, Neal, has good stories about there."

"Your father would kill me if I took you to another realm," he laughed, but the fear was clear in his voice. Rumplestiltskin _terrified_ him. "I was thinking about a cot somewhere near the ocean."

He returned to kiss her neck and a tiny involuntary sound escaped her lips. It was good, _really, really good_.

"That sounds nice too," she whispered.

He pulled away from her, just enough to look into her eyes and what she saw made her melt inside. The adoration Roland showed, was something Rose never thought someone would ever feel for her. It was like the way her father used to look at her mother.

"I love you, Rosie."

"Roland," she started, the name slipping through her lips like an old song, as she brushed the hair away from his eyes. "Before we left home, I started to think about some things. When I was at Avonlea, feeling like an object to be traded, all I wished was I could wake from that nightmare and be back to a life where I would be loved and now time seems so relative, weird and dangerous... I never know when bad stuff will come or even if I will get good days again."

His eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"I don't get your point."

She took a deep breath, telling herself to be brave. She could to that. She _should_ do that, _for herself_ , to show nobody would ever have the chance to decide her faith for her.

"I want to be loved," Rose murmured. " _By you._ By the person who owns my heart."

Roland stared at her for a long moment without understanding, until he seemed to get her words and his mouth fell open.

"Do you mean..." He looked down at the bed and swallowed. "Rose, we can't!"

"Why not?"

"We are not married," he stated. "My father says we must honour our vows and respect women."

Rolling her eyes, Rose gave him the best sceptical look she had. But she should have imagined that Robin Hood's son would never agree to this so easily. His father had a fame of always following the rules and she knew he had taught the same to his children.

"Seriously, Roland?" Rose inquired. "Listen, I know how much you respect me, that's why I want to have this moment with you. And we are going to get married someday, aren't we?"

"Yes, but you could get with child and if you did, my mother would throw fireballs on my head and then your father would cut it out of my neck."

Sighing, she reached for the leather bag she had pulled on the nightstand earlier and opened it, taking a small tube from inside there to show it to him with a victorious smile spreading on her lips. Of course, she wouldn't take the risk of getting pregnant and ruining her own reputation - not to say risking Roland's life, because just as he said, she was pretty sure her father would kill him if he got her with child - but she was smarter than that.

"You really need to relax," Rose started. "I stole this from my father's laboratory. Contraceptive potion."

"You really thought about this," Roland whispered, surprised.

"I did."

Opening the tube's lid, Rose drank all the potion and casted it aside, coming closer to him again, so she brushed their lips together in a soft kiss. Roland cupped her face with both hands, deepening the kiss and laid her on the bed. Her heart raced furiously. The last time she had been in this position, Keith was trying to violate her, but she told herself that today was different, she was doing it for love and she was choosing to do it herself.

Roland's hands traced down her body through the fabric of her bodice and skirt and she palmed his chest through the V opening of his waistcoat. His fingers made their way to the laces on the front of her gown and slowly he opened it.

"Aren't you nervous?"

"Of course, I am," Rose answered, placing a kiss on his cheek. "But I trust you."

A chuckle came from his throat and he bent down to kiss her collarbone, bringing the cold pressure back to her womb. _It was desire_ , she realised.

"I have no idea of what I'm doing," he murmured against her skin, moving his lips to her breasts.

"Good," she breathed, "that makes two of us."

But although both of them were very inexperienced, they still had instincts to follow and it wasn't hard to find how they should work. Roland soothed her through the pain of the very first time and then cradled her in his arms as they started to move together. Rose was very nervous and hesitant, despite of trying to show the very opposite, but he banished away any tension of her body with his tender kisses and soft words of reassurance. He wasn't Keith, he wasn't trying to force her to do anything, he was her best friend and he loved her.

Rose never before felt more grateful to have Roland in her life. It hurt in the beginning, however, he was patient and tried to do his best to make her feel good. _And gods_ , he did.

Later, when she laid her head on his chest and a heavy blanket was pulled over then, Rose traced his skin with light fingertips and a good sensation of happiness filling her heart. Roland stroke her hair very slowly, playing with the dark tresses and watching her with a little bit of uncertainty.

"How do you feel?" He finally gathered enough courage to ask.

"A bit sore," she answered with a small laugh, rolling over and propping herself up on her elbow, so she could look at him and add: "But I liked."

A smile spread on Roland's lips and he bent down to capture hers in a kiss.

"Me too," he murmured. "Do you think it was the right thing to do?"

Rose worried at her lip, the back of her hand gently caressing the exposed skin of his arm. Truth be told she didn't know exactly how to feel, because everything seemed to be mixed inside her in a ball of energy that burned her soul. But from all of this, one thing she could distinguish: Rose felt fearless and brave and _this_ , no gold in the world could pay for.

"I think it healed a wound I had in my heart," she admitted. "Now there is only a tiny scar."

When Roland locked eyes with her, she could recognise the pity she had been trying to avoid for so long now. Yes, Keith, the former Sheriff of Nottingham had tried to rape her. Yes, sometimes she woke up screaming and it had nothing to do with her visions, but with the memory that invaded her dreams, sending her back to Avonlea and to the panic she felt as he tried to force himself in her. And yes, a part of her brain, the one that was still too hurt to proceed, had freaked out at Roland's first touches, but she had managed to calm herself enough to enjoy the moment.

However, it didn't mean she wanted the pity and she felt grateful when, after just a second, it disappeared from Roland's eyes and he rolled her on her back, settling himself above her and nuzzling his face on her shoulder, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her neck.

"Don't you worry, my beautiful flower. I will cover any scars you might have with my love," the boy murmured in her ear, causing her to shiver beneath him. "Because now you're secretly mine."

"Always," Rose agreed.

They didn't leave the tavern so soon that day.

* * *

Belle was sat on the ground, leaning her back against a tree, dividing her attention between the children that played near the river and the book in her hands. It was the closest she got from a perfect day since she left the Dark Castle. The sun was generously warming her skin and for the first time since the winter ended, she got to wear a dress with short sleeves, which was very much appreciated. She looked down at her stomach, no longer hidden under the tight grip of her bodice, but comfortably resting under a maternity gown.

It wasn't too swollen yet, but anyone could see clearly that it was ripening up with life, the small gentle curve it created in any dress she tried on, assuring people that Rumplestiltskin would soon have another heir. She thought about now, how she had become what she most feared, a tool, a statue in someone else's throne, doing her duty and birthing children for a powerful man. It was a ridiculous thought, she knew, but as bitter as Belle felt right now, everything seemed a shade darker.

She couldn't and would never regret any of her children, thought. Belle was resented with Rumple, but she needed to admit he had given her more than she could have expected to get. Without him she would have never travelled to so many places as she did, nor had the access to all the books he bought her. She shouldn't be feeling like she failed herself, because she had a beautiful life and she had chosen each path she walked on.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the book she was supposed to be reading when a shadow came over her, making Belle look up to see Roderick staring down at her with narrowed eyes as he crocked his head, trying to get a better view from the book cover and took a little laugh from her.

"Her Hand..." Roderick tried, but needed to start again. "Handsome Hero."

"My favourite," Belle said, smiling as he took a seat beside her.

"That's the one with Gideon's name, right?"

"Yeah."

Closing the book, the lady traced down the golden lines, remembering how her younger self had been so obsessed with it, how she loved every characterization and thought she knew everything about every bit of it. Not that she didn't now, but the way she saw this book had changed as the years passed. Today, Belle could see the flaws behind her beloved hero, and that somehow made her admire his courage and selflessly even more. Naming her son after him had a stronger meaning now than it did when Gideon was born.

"You know, he was teaching me how to read," Roderick said after some moments of silence. "Every night when he brought me to his chambers, we sat with a copy of a different book and he explained me how to put the letters together."

Belle blinked in surprise. Gideon never seemed much interested in teaching anything to anyone; he was a good big brother and always read and played with his siblings, but he never got involved when Belle sat with them in the library to make a couple of lessons. But it shouldn't tell her much about him, because when Gideon saw someone who needed his help, he always offered himself, and knowing how much he cherished books, she could perfectly see him helping his boyfriend.

"Really?"

"My family is really poor, milady. None of my parents know how to read, so I had nobody to teach me until I met Gideon."

Smiling at it, Belle felt accomplished. She had done something right, after all. Her children were good people with kind hearts and the realisation of it made happiness bubble on her stomach.

"One of my favourite adventures was to teach them how to read," Belle told the boy. "Colette is almost there. She read only one small word the other day and got me squealing with happiness."

"They are nice children," Roderick nodded in agreement, gaze fixed on the two kids chasing after each other near the river. He glanced back at Belle and realised she had that nostalgic look in her eyes again and decided to continue speaking. "Listen I was talking with Gideon a while ago and he told me he thinks you're struggling with immortality."

In a swift movement her head turned back to him, mouth slightly open with surprise, but after a second she tightened her lips and shook her head for herself.

"He knows me better than I thought," Belle murmured. "I'm not one to complain about things, you know? Mainly when they are my own choice."

"But you can always make new ones," Roderick pointed out, "change the route of your life."

Taking a deep breath, Belle casted her book aside dropping it on the grass as she leaned back against the three, hands coming up to lay on her bump as she fixed her gaze on the children.

"Physically I'm a twenty-five-year-old forever, but inside, I'm forty," she started with a snort. "I see my children getting older every passing day and _I'm stuck._ I should have some grey hair by now, but I'm just young and soon I'll have the same age as Gideon. Then, he will be older than me. I'll see them go and will stay."

"I think I can understand how hard it must be."

 _No, you can't_ , Belle's thoughts echoed in her mind, but she didn't dare to say such a thing when the boy was being so kind with her.

"I wanted this baby so badly, Roderick," the Dark Lady confessed, petting the mound of her belly. "I needed to start again, I needed to feel I wasn't going to be left alone so soon but now I'm feeling horrible, because I didn't want to do any of this on my own. It was supposed to be with Rumple. It is because of him that I agreed to stay young."

 _Start again._ Her life seemed to be an eternal cycle of new beginnings, but she didn't want to keep starting over, she want a nice, happy middle and a soft end. And without her husband what was the point of all of this? Immortality for her was just a way of not letting him go through a long life alone, but it hurt her and it wasn't supposed to hurt. Everybody wanted youth, but Belle was tired of it.

She felt Roderick get uncomfortable beside her and eyed him quickly, noticing he was struggling with a question at the tip of his tongue.

"Do you really think he slept with that woman?" The boy finally asked.

The question hit her heart like an arrow. _She had seen it, hadn't she?_ The very proof of Rumplestiltskin's infidelity, him laid in their bed with Agathe wrapped in her arms, her womb as swollen with child as hers were now. And yet, a tiny part of her screamed it was all a lie in which she shouldn't believe.

"My heart says he would never do such a thing, but what my eyes saw..."

"Lady Belle, you are one of the most powerful woman in this Realm. You may not have magic, but you're clever and you're protected by the Dark One. People want to put you down," Roderick said. "I believe anyone would do anything to separate you from your husband. You just have to show them you are stronger than they thought. You love Rumplestiltskin, you trust him, so show them they will need way more than a stupid maid to ruin your marriage."

The confidence with which he spoke made Belle's heart beat a little bit stronger, because maybe he was right. She could see why people would want her away from Rumple - she and the children were his whole world and without them, he was weaker.

"You're smart."

"And you are kind," Roderick smiled, then gesticulated into her belly's direction with a movement of his chin. "Don't let this child be born without a father."

Belle breathed in the advice. She could already feel the baby's first movements inside her, as the tiny little thing turned around within her womb and she hadn't shared it with her husband, who had always adored to feel their children kicks. _Gods_ , he didn't even know they were to have another baby! She owed her child more, owed it a good life with a loving father to care for it. And even if Rumple had in fact cheated on her with Agathe, she couldn't keep him from it. Nor from any of their children, like she had been doing. But there was one thing preventing her from reaching for him.

"I'm afraid of having my heart broken again," she confessed to Roderick.

"You already have it shattered," he shrugged. "Give yourself a try on fixing it."

That was when Colette and Chip came running from where they had been playing. The little girl threw herself into her mother's arms and Belle caught her into a tight hug.

"Mama, when will we go home?"

"Yeah, I've lost all my magic lessons and I miss papa," Chip said in agreement.

 _What had she been doing?_ Belle's eyes slammed shut and she hid her face on her daughter's hair, relishing in having her this close for a moment.

"I miss him too," Belle affirmed, departing from her daughter and straightening her hair behind her ears. "We'll go home soon, now go back to play."

Colette nodded happily and rose on her feet to follow Chip back to the riverside, where two wooden swords were fallen. Roderick's hand touched her shoulder.

"See?" He said. "They need their family back. Whole."

 _Rumplestiltskin._ The name echoed in her mind as if her thoughts were summoning him, and she wished he could be there right now so she could press her body firmly to his, claiming is mouth and making amends. But he wasn't anywhere near and if she wanted to fix things, she needed to prepare herself first.

"Have I already said how honoured I am to have met you?"

"I don't think so," Roderick grinned.

"You would be a great King Consort for the Dark Realm."

She wasn't lying at all. In the future, her son would need someone to rule by his side and she would be glad if it was Roderick who would stand by him. After all, every King needed a wise voice speaking to his ear.

* * *

The sun was already setting itself down when Roland left the tavern. He had stayed there until Rose was gone, kissing him goodbye before magicking herself back to Roderick's shack. It took him a few moments to finally follow his way downstairs, but eventually he had to stop daydreaming about everything that happened in that room and simply leave. He was already late and he had promised his father he would be back home soon, so they could practice some shoots, which meant Robin was going to be really mad at him when he appeared.

Roland hurried to the market, remembering he should be there to buy his mother some herbs and not to meet his girlfriend and looked for the bag with gold, hoping he could do it quickly. However, the boy was only half-way to the tents when a purple cloud of smoke appeared in front of him, making him stumble and almost fall to the floor.

"Hello Roland," Rumplestiltskin said with a really unsatisfied expression on his face.

"Gods," Roland breathed. "You almost scared me to death milord!"

The imp didn't pay attention to his words, only studied his features, as if he had something to hide. And, oh, Roland had a lot to hide right now.

"What were you doing in this tavern?" Rumple asked pointing at the establishment behind them.

He swallowed hard. Was it possible that somehow, he knew what just happened? Roland was pretty sure Rose said their seer powers didn't show them ordinary things, but in that moment, he felt really scared the Dark One might know he had just laid with his daughter and was actually there to kill him for it.

"Drinking," Roland lied.

"Drinking?" The imp inquired with humourless chuckle. "I wouldn't be happy to know I promised my daughter's hand to a future drunk king."

"I don't do it often," the boy guaranteed him.

The Dark One, of course, didn't believe him. He took some steps into Roland's direction and circled him like a snake, making the boy's heart race furiously.

"And I don't smell alcohol in you," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "But I smell something else: Rose's perfume. Were you with her?"

 _I'm dead_ , Roland thought, _he is going to freaking kill me right here and right now_. He couldn't do anything to defend himself and he knew it was foolish to do such a thing, but he continued lying.

"No, milord."

"Do not lie to me, boy." Rumplestiltskin grunted behind clenched teeth, and asked harshly: "Did you see my daughter?"

"I - "

He couldn't find the right strength in himself to finish the sentence. Roland knew he shouldn't have listened to Rose when she was so fragile like now, they were supposed to wait until they got married and now, they were more likely never going to.

"Where is she?"

"She is already gone," Roland confessed with a sigh, knowing there was no point in trying to fool him.

"Where?"

The question was clearly a demand, but even though he was very frightened of Rumplestiltskin, Roland also owed his love all his loyalty.

"I can't say."

"Oh, you can and you will say," the imp remarked in a threatening voice, "because if you don't, then I'll return you to your mother in a coffin!"

The air got caught on his throat. Roland knew this wasn't a joke, he knew Rumplestiltskin's reputation and even thought he was also aware the imp had been quite nice since he married Lady Belle, he had seen him kill Keith without hesitation, so he bet it was better not tempt his fate.

"Please, don't tell Rose that I told you."

A grin passed through his lips and the imp nodded. Roland only trusted him, because he was sure the Dark wouldn't want to break his own daughter's heart.

"Your secret is safe with me."

* * *

They had come back from the river for a while before Belle decided it was time for the children to get inside and have some afternoon tea with the others, but when she only found Chip in front of the shack, saying he didn't know where his sister was, she felt her heart tumbling in her chest as the despair filled her and made the blood feel cold in her veins.

"Colette?" Belle yelled to the woods. "Colette, babe, where are you?"

Her screams called Gideon and Rose's attention and they immediately left the shack, going to where their mother was, looking around with wide eyes, without knowing what to do.

"What is it mama?" Rose asked, confused.

She had just arrived home, happy they haven't yet eaten, because she was starving and hoping for a good peaceful meal, but she needed to face the fact that nothing was peaceful around her family lately.

"Have you seen your sister?"

"I thought she was playing with Chip," it was Gideon who answered, with a frown appearing on his face.

"She was, but not anymore."

"Damn it," the boy cursed, stepping forward to start to look for her. "Colette!"

Rose went in the opposite direction as he did, and for Belle, it was left the road that lead to the market. She quickly ran in its direction, feeling a strong wave of nausea hit hear, but not giving in to it, because she had to find her daughter.

"Oh, gods, please not my girl," Belle begged under her breath, then she started to walk between the tents, attentive eyes looking for any sign that her precious Colette could be found.


	18. Chapter 18

The despair mixed with both her necessity to cry and throw up at the same time, made Belle's body ache as she run towards the marked, understanding she should stop, but knowing she couldn't. The physical pain made her feel scared for the baby, however her youngest daughter was lost somewhere and she needed to find her, so keep running was her only option. Belle's wide eyes scanned the tents quickly as she passed through them, her legs wanting to give up and let her fall.

"Colette," she yelled, stopping briefly to take a breath. "Colette?"

There was no sign of her anywhere and people were starting to stare at her as if she was crazy, so Belle started to walk again, heart beating fast and causing her to feel even more breathless than she would just for the run. The lady entered a tent, hoping the owner could give her some clue, standing in front of the counter with trembling hands.

"Excuse me, have you seen a little girl around here? Blue eyes, curled hair and green-gold skin?"

"Green-gold skin?" The man laughed. "Is this some kind of joke, milady?"

She sighed, frustrated. Most people had never set eyes on Rumple or their children, so she must sound mad for him.

"Oh, forget it," Belle murmured, turning around and going back to the market road, continuing to scream helplessly: "Colette!"

Suddenly a small person collided with her and Belle looked down to see the lost girl hugging her skirts, a giant smile on her face as the mother fell to her knees in front of her pulling her close and hugging her tight. She wasn't lost, she was there in Belle's arms and the relief she felt couldn't be put into words.

"Mama?" Colette questioned, probably annoyed with the fact she wouldn't let her go.

"Babe, where were you?" Belle questioned, finally pulling away to look at her daughter's face. "You scared me half-way to death! I thought I had lost you!"

"I'm sorry, mama, I was following a bird with a broken wing," the little girl mumbled, looking down at her own hands as she snuggled in Belle lap. "I wanted to take it and bring it to you, but I touched it and it flied away."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. From all her children, Colette had been the one showing less signs of magic until now, Belle had even considered for a while if she wasn't just ordinary like her, but the small objects started to move and the little girl's sneezes on Spring made the flowers dance. But nothing had been as big as this.

"She healed the little thing," a very well-known voice confirmed.

"Rumplestiltskin," she breathed, looking up to see her husband standing there right in front of her, after she spent so many time hiding from him.

"Hello, Belle," the imp greeted her, a sad smile appearing on his lips as he glanced at the little girl in her arms. "I've just ran on our daughter running around the market."

The first instinct she had was to defend herself, saying she had yes, been taking care of their children, but Colette disappeared right in the five minutes it took for her to put the water to boil and set the cups on the table for their afternoon tea, but it ended up just like a stupid rambling in her mind, as Gideon came running from the middle on the tents and stopped when he saw that scene: his mother on the floor with his sister firmly wrapped on her arms and his father standing there near them.

"Mother, father," the boy murmured puzzled. "You've found her."

Belle took a deep breath knowing she shouldn't keep avoiding this conversation and glance up at her son speaking in a confident tone - way more confident that she was actually feeling.

"Gideon, take your sister back to the shack. I need to speak to your father alone."

"Sure," he immediately agreed, stretching out a hand for his sister to take and helping her to rise on her feet. "Come on, Lette. I'm not taking my eyes of you, little minx."

They both heard Colette's little laugh as the siblings disappeared in the middle of the crowd, which was occasionally glancing full of curiosity at them. Rumplestiltskin did the same his son had done with Colette, offering Belle a hand to take, but she hesitated, staring at it with uncertainty.

"Allow me to help you," he asked and she finally slid her palm into his, letting Rumple pull her up. That was when her gown got straightened up and he could finally see the gentle curve of her stomach and his eyes got wide, both his hands coming to cup each side of it. "Oh, sweetheart... Oh, my love, you're with child."

"Yes," Belle confirmed.

For a moment the Dark One was awestruck, caressing the little mound as if it held the key of all power in the world, the look on his face almost reverently as he approached his face and she believed he was going to kiss her, but then all of the sudden he pulled away, angered by the realisation that she had been pregnant for months now and hadn't said anything.

"Weren't you planning on telling me?" Rumplestiltskin questioned rather harshly. "The father?"

"Who said you are the father?"

His expression changed yet again, now a mask of sadness as her words hit him hard and Belle knew if she had shoot an arrow to his heard, he would be feeling better than hearing what she just said.

"I'm not?"

"You are," she said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, but I'm still hurt."

He shook his head, taking both her hands in his and kissing her knuckles as if all of their mistakes and misunderstandings could be simply forgotten if they wanted to.

"Belle," the imp started. "Let's get out of here, darling, we need somewhere private to talk. Can we go home?"

"No, I don't want to. Not now," Belle said, noticing how her voice sounded weak, her throat aching and her stomach still twisting a little. "And I'm feeling sick. I need some water."

In a surge of smoke, they had vanished from the marked and appeared in a huge bedroom she had never seen before. Belle looked around, really confused, but any questions she had were stopped by the soft touch of her husband's hand against her brow as he offered her a cup.

"Here," Rumple said, lifting it to her lips and letting Belle thirstily drink the water before pulling it away.

She took some steps to the bed behind her, sinking into the mattress to allow her tired feet to get some rest. Rumple hesitantly followed her, kneeling on the floor and unlacing her shoes as if he knew exactly what she needed. When he started to rub his gloriously calloused hands along her skin, she couldn't help but let a pleased sigh leave her; he was very good at it.

"Where are we?" Belle questioned after a few seconds.

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not."

He kept massaging her feet, alternating between both of them, until he suddenly stopped, resting his hands on his own thighs as he looked up at her, eyes focused in her swollen middle-section.

"Can you already feel it moving?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "The babe?"

"All the time," she smiled. "It's healthy."

Leaning forward Rumplestiltskin took her hand, the sincerest look she had ever seen in his face, coming to enlighten his eyes, making her hate herself for ever believing he had cheated on her.

"Belle, I'm sorry for breaking your heart, but it all was a lie. I swear to you, I would never sleep with Agathe," Rumple assured her. "She plotted the whole and the child she carries is not mine. This one, right inside you, are."

She brought his hand to her belly, pressing it to the round surface, knowing he probably wouldn't be able to feel the waves of their child moving within her womb as strongly as she did, but knowing anything would make him happy.

"It likes the sound of your voice," she said, carding her fingers in his hair.

He nuzzled his cheek against her bump, pressing a kiss to it as Belle watched him and shiny eyes.

"Papa is really sorry for not being here for you before," he whispered to the baby, "but I am now and I'm happy to know you'll soon arrive."

"Rumple..."

"Do you believe me, sweetheart?"

The Dark One asked in the softest tone. "Can you forgive me for not been able to foreseen what that wicked woman was plotting and getting caught on her trick?"

And how could she not forgive him when he was speaking like that while spreading butterfly kisses up her belly, following the line of her dress until he found her skin and sucked the exposed end of her bosom. Belle was feeling like a fool, because now she was pretty certain Agathe had really faked that whole scene just to separate them.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore," she whispered, slightly breathless. "I thought you desired her."

"No, never," Rumplestiltskin guaranteed, touching her face and looking deep into her eyes. "You are my wife, Belle, the love of my life, the mother of my children, the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. I love you, I want you, my whole body aches for you. And only you."

He brought her close to him, hitching up her skirts, as pulling himself between her legs, pressing the bulge on his trousers to her core and making her shiver. She curled herself around him, reaching to kiss neck.

"Oh, Rumplestiltskin," Belle murmured against his hot skin. "I should have stayed, I should have listened to you..."

"Hush, hush, my love," he answered in a soothing tone, as he started to unlace her bodice. "Let me show you how much I cherish you."

He slowly took the first layer of her maternity gown down, freeing Belle of every ribbon and restraining, taking the shift out of her at last as she struggled to push his waistcoat off. He shrugged it to the floor, laying her down on her back and coming over her with all the care he could, not to press his weight against her bump.

"I love your hair, how soft it feels under my fingers," the imp murmured caressing her curls as he kissed her lips before moving his hand down to play with her left nipple. "I love how the swell of your breasts fits perfectly on my hands and how it gets rounder when your body is preparing to nurse a child of mine."

Belle writhed beneath him as he bent his head to capture one of her breasts in his mouth, being as gentle as he could, because Rumple knew they should be sensible right now, however everything he got from his wife, were breathy noises of approval.

"I believe," Belle whimpered. "I do."

But he wasn't quite done with her yet. He continued to tease her breasts for a while more, licking sucking, kissing and then coming up to bite on her shoulder, causing her to moan as he left a love mark in there.

"The smoothness of your skin is my paradise," Rumplestiltskin purred against her ear, running a hand down her body and spreading her legs to allow his fingers the needed access to her folds. "And I will never not get surprised at how wet you always get for me. All for the old beast."

She hugged him close adjusting herself between the pillows, so she was in a half-sat position in which Rumple's body could be comfortably pressed against hers without hurting the baby. Belle opened herself more to him and he sank two fingers inside of her, feeling as her tight channel gripped him, making a delicious heat go down to his groin with the anxiety for being one with his love. He moved his finger in and out, adoring the reactions of Belle's body as she trembled with pleasure in his arms, breath coming in pants.

"Please - " she begged.

His thumb moved to the precious pearl of her clit, setting a slow rhythm that increased her cries, until he felt her inner walls fluttering as she came with his name on her lips.

"Oh, yes, and the way you moan for me..." The Dark One trilled slowly, kissing her temples as she laid languidly beneath him. "It gets me so hard that sometimes I think I could come undone with just one single touch."

Belle opened her eyes and they were wild as she started to pull his shirt up.

"Take your clothes off, now!"

"My lady is demanding today," Rumplestiltskin smirked, snapping his fingers and making all of his clothing quickly vanish away.

As soon as he was bare, Belle pulled him back against her, reaching down to close her hand around his cock and take a strangled noise from him. She pumped eagerly and he had to get a hold of the bedframe as his eyes closed and he was overwhelmed by the pleasure her little delicate hand created with that maddening friction.

"I haven't touched you in weeks, more time than I can count. The last time you saw my body, I didn't even have a bump yet," Belle said, bringing his tip to rest between her legs. "I want you. I need you."

Rumplestiltskin couldn't contain himself, he pushed forward, joining their bodies in a swift thrust and both of them gasped with the sensation. He kept holding himself up, afraid of hurting her, but bent down to kiss her lips, so sweet and full of love.

"Oh, Belle, you never fail in making me feel home."

"I love you," she murmured, moving her hips up.

He groaned starting to pound into her and the way Belle threw her head back did things to him, Rumple couldn't really put into words.

"And I love you too," he answered in a lustful voice. "Nobody else. Only you."

She folded her legs on his backside, pushing him deeper as both of them groaned. Belle could already feel the pressure building up, being filled by him not only brought her pleasure, but also warmed her heart, bringing back the wonders of being loved, body and soul. The Dark One was her missing piece and she was meant to be his Dark Lady. Right there, she felt as if all her sadness and uncertainty went away.

"Rumple - " Belle gasped, nails digging into his back.

"Only you..."

He grabbed her hips, kneeling on the bed to change their angle, so he could bury himself to the hilt inside her, his cock reaching a hidden spot that made her head spin.

"Ah," she whimpered. "Yes!"

Rumple's eyes closed and his mouth fell open. He was close, very close and sped up his rhythm, diving into the overwhelming sensations that being joined with his wife brought him.

"Perfect little Belle," he murmured, delighted. "All mine."

"Yours," she agreed just a second before he sent her to the edge, her pleasure becoming liquid. "Rum..."

He groaned deeply, losing it when her inner walls gripped his cock harder, white lights exploding behind his eyelids as he spent himself inside of her, panting as he came. Rumplestiltskin kissed the top of Belle's head and rolled to the side, pulling her with him to nestle the lady in his arms.

"Do you really think I could do this with another?" The Dark One questioned. "You are the woman I love, Belle. You are my heart."

"And you're mine," she answered, running her nose along his chest. "Living without you is a torture I don't want to go through."

"Does that mean you'll go back home?"

She took a second to think. It would be all too easy to go back running to their home, but there were still things Belle needed to know before she agreed to anything.

"Did you throw Agathe out of the castle?"

"She is in the dungeons," he explained, petting her hair. "I'm sorry I didn't expel her, but she has nowhere to go and her child deserves to be delivered safely."

Belle wasn't expecting to hear it, but she felt proud of her husband for his decision. He hadn't acted like he would've in other times; he really had learned a lot and even though she still felt angry with that woman, she needed to admit he had done a great gesture. Agathe's baby deserved to be delivered safely.

"You did the right thing," she told him. "And yes, I'm coming home."

"Thank you, sweetheart, for giving me your trust."

He captured her lips with his, trying to make it up for all the time they had spent apart.

"Here," Belle said, pulling away from him and taking his hand to lay it on her bump. "Feel your child, Rumplestiltskin."

A smirk stretched in his lips as he lowered his head to the level of her belly, whispering in a conspiracy and amused tone: "I hope you had your eyes closed for the last few minutes, wee one."

"Rumple!"

He laughed out loud taking her back to his arms and straddling Belle on his lap, hearing as she laughed too, his heart getting filled with joy to have her there with him again, knowing she now understood that everything that had happened was a made-up lie.

"Just joking," he chuckled. "Are you happy?"

"I am," Belle smiled. "But there are things we need to talk about once we are back to the castle."

"Like what?"

Shaking her head, Belle thought it was better if they didn't get into a discussion right after making amends. She ran a hand through his hair looking into his eyes, getting lost in his irises.

"Not now, we can discuss it all later."

"Don't leave me again, please," Rumplestiltskin begged. "I need you, Belle. You made me better."

"You have always been a good man, Rumple," she replied truthfully, "you just took some time to believe it."

Her faith in him was his strength, and he only felt glad things could be sorted out, because with Belle he could face the world and not feel a coward anymore.

"Let's get our children, and go home."

* * *

Gideon was pacing around like crazy. It was already driving Roderick mad, but nobody else seemed to notice how anxious he was. Rose, actually was lost in totally, completely unaware of what her brother had been doing for the past hour or so, she traced down the border of her teacup, hearing Chip and Colette argue over something silly. Gideon stopped by her side, a frown appearing on his face when he realised she looked nothing but happy.

"Why are you smiling?"

Rose looked up at him, arching an eyebrow.

"Is it forbidden to be happy now, Gideon?"

"Rose, I've told you papa and mama met at the market" he bounced, throwing his hands up in a frustrated gesture. "Aren't you worried?"

He had been really preoccupied with his parents ever since he left them alone in the market, wanting to know what might be happening between them and if it was as bad as he imagined. Belle was still really sad about that whole episode with Agathe and even though he believed his father hadn't slept with the maid, he thought it would be difficult for his mother to see the same.

"No," Rose answered" firmly, "why should I be? He would never hurt her."

"I know, but they are not exactly in a good place and the stress can be bad for the baby."

"Gideon, you really need to relax," his sister insisted and he gave up trying to have an adult conversation with her.

He walked towards Roderick letting himself fall on the stool beside him as he quickly glanced at the children to make sure both of them were still there, then he looked at his boyfriend with a weary expression, point at Rose with movement of his head.

"She doesn't understand me."

"I do think you should relax too," the dark-haired boy shrugged.

"Thank you, Roderick," he said, rolling his eyes, "that's really helpful."

A couple of seconds later, the door swung open and Gideon turned his head to the left side to see Rumplestiltskin and Belle stepping in, bright smiles on their lips as they walked as close to each other as possible. Colette squealed happily at the sight of them and ran to their mother's side, hugging her legs through the layers of her gown.

"Mama!"

"Hey, runaway babe," Belle smiled, picking her up from the floor and smacking a kiss on her cheek.

All of the sudden Rose was up on her feet to, throwing her arms around Rumplestiltskin and hugging him tight.

"Oh, papa, I've missed you!"

"Me too, Rosebud."

She pulled away from him looking between their parents with curiosity shining in her eyes. Everybody thought it was about time for them to make amends, but the fact Rumple had come there with their mother didn't necessarily mean they were fine again.

"So, you two are back together?" Rose questioned, full of hope.

"Yeah, we are," Belle confirmed, taking her husband's hand and enlacing her fingers with his. "Now I know that everything that happened with Agathe was just a big lie, so we can go home."

"Finally," Chip exclaimed.

There were some amused chuckles at his reaction and Gideon looked back at Roderick, sharing one of his biggest smiles with the other boy, who only touched his thigh in response, smiling back at him in the most discrete way possible.

"Oh, Rumple, I would like to introduce you to the family that gave us a shelter," Belle continued. "These are Mary, John and Roderick, Gideon's..."

"Best friend," the boy finished.

Belle narrowed her eyes at him in confusion and Gideon shrunk. He wanted to tell his father the truth, but he wasn't prepared and he thought that when he finally did speak with Rumple about it, he'd rather not have Roderick so close, because not even the gods could guess the imp's reaction.

"It is very nice to meet you all," Rumplestiltskin said, cordially. "I'd like to pay you for the time you helped my family."

"There is no need, milord," Mary answered kindly from the place where she was sat, near her husband.

The Dark One appeared to be slightly surprised with that, probably because he was used with every single person in this world wanting something from him, but he didn't show it for more than a minute before enlacing Belle's waist with an arm, bringing her close and allowing Colette to pass from her mother's arms to his own.

"Well, then, so if you excuse us, I think it is about time for me to take them back to our castle."

Mary and John smiled and Gideon was about to thank them again when he felt the magic taking his family away and, in the next second they had appeared in the Dark Castle's great hall. The children exclaimed happily and ran to the staircase with Rose and their father as Belle approached him.

"Why didn't you allow me to tell your father about Roderick?"

"This is not the best time for it, mama," Gideon murmured and wanting to escape from her next questions, he started to walk in the kitchen's direction, yelling: "Mrs. Potts? Are you there?"

* * *

She had spent a whole day been treated like a queen. Belle took a long bath, in which her husband insisted in helping her, was dressed with a new gown, as red as the most delicious apples, and eat a whole banquet with her family, winning a great piece of lemon pie for dessert. She was feeling better than she did in weeks, happier and more beautiful, hair style up in an elegant bun and her stomach only a soft curve under the dress.

Belle's confidence had grown so bigger in a mere matter of hours that she made her way to the dungeons after dinner, sneaking there without anyone noticing and opening the door of the only cell that had someone inside at the moment, surprising the woman in there, who quickly stood on her feet, jaw dropped at the sight of her.

"Lady Belle," Agathe gasped. "I wasn't expecting you to come back."

"I bet you weren't," Belle smiled sceptically.

The maid's eyes fell to her bump, which Belle made sure to accentuate by wrapping her arms almost protectively around it, causing some tears to blurry the blonde's vision.

"You're expecting a child too," she whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, but my baby is truly Rumplestiltskin's, not yours."

"You can't say that," Agathe yelled back, pressing a hand to her own stomach. "You've seen what happened, you know it can be his child!"

Stepping forward, Belle splayed her fingers, finding some kind of strength she didn't know she had, when it made contact with Agathe's face, the slap resounding loudly in the dungeons.

"You didn't sleep with him and I hate you for ever making me believe you did," the Dark Lady said harshly. "You'll be kept here like a prisoner until your baby is born, but then, you better get the hell away from this castle and from my husband!"

Belle turned around, slamming the door shut behind her to find Mrs. Potts in the middle of the corridor, holding a tray with bread and water, a surprised expression on her face.

"Milady?"

"It is my family, Mrs. Potts and I won't let her destroy it," Belle remarked.

And she had never in her whole life been so determinate about something.


	19. Chapter 19

Nothing felt better than being back home. Belle hadn't realised how much she missed the Dark Castle until she was there again, having a nice, cosy bedroom to sleep on, a library full of her beloved books and her husband's lovely company. He was delighted to have her there again and hadn't saved efforts to make her feel welcomed and happy, bringing her new gowns and filling the whole household with colourful flowers.

It wasn't a surprise for her however, to have woke up to an empty bed. Her husband had the frustrating habit of sneaking out as soon as she fell asleep, as he didn't need much rest himself and preferred to spend most nights working, but what really got her mesmerized was to sit on the bed and look around just to find out that he had filled the desk with all kinds of food she loved. The lady stretched herself, slipping off the bed and walking to where her husband was sat, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

"What is all of this?"

"Breakfast," the Dark One answered, pulling a chair for her, to sit by his side. "I wanted to thank you."

Lifting an eyebrow, Belle picked a piece of bread, taking a bite of it and delighting herself when she felt the flavour of the carrots mixed in it, a luxury they didn't have at Roderick's shack.

"For what?" She asked after a second of tasting.

"Coming back home and believing me above all."

She reached for her husband's hand, caressing the thick scaled skin and giving him a sweet smile, because she knew she hadn't been the only one suffering during the weeks they spent apart. At least, she had their children with her, but he had no one and he didn't even know she was with child for quite a long while. Deep down, Belle felt like she needed forgiveness too.

"I've never stopped believing you, Rumple. I had a moment of shock, my heart broke, I was sensible and I wasn't thinking clearly. But a part of me had always known you hadn't laid with Agathe."

He nodded, lifting a hand to touch her face and she leaned against his palm, placing the half-eaten piece of bread back to the silver plate. That was the part of marriage she would never regret, his devotion and his care for her, she could have never expected to have such a good husband. Now, it seemed fun to think that there was a time, where she would believe her fate laid on being the wife of some brute like Gaston.

"When we were alone in that room," Rumplestiltskin started, "you said there were things you wanted to discuss."

Breathing in, she took his hand away from her face, kissing his knuckles and trying to think about the right way to start this, but she guessed there was none, so the words that slipped through her mind were the first ones she could think about.

"Yes, it's about the dagger."

His eyes became wide with shock, because she usually never spoke about that object. Few had been the times when he and Belle discussed its power and he knew how much she feared the price of the magic and always begged him to use it the less he could.

"My dagger?"

"What else could I be talking about, Rumple?"

The Dark One shook his head, saying: "Go on."

Worrying at her lip, Belle felt her heart start to race, actually she felt too conscious of everything happening with her body in that second, her hands still gripping at her husband's, the weight of the belly nestling their baby, her toes touching the soft rug. What she was about to say, could change everything and a part of her feared how Rumple might take it.

"Once you told me one could only be freed from it with death. Are you sure there is no other way?"

"You want me to not be Dark One anymore?" He blinked.

"It's not that, Rumple, I love you just the way you are, with darkness and all, but... The years are passing," Belle said. "Our children are growing up. We will see them go and we will stay."

Moving his hands down to her stomach, he cradled it as if it somehow brought him hope as he stared into her blue depths and she recognised the fear shining in his eyes. He hadn't considered it and thinking about eternity like this, made him feel terrified.

"I thought we agreed we would always begin again," the imp said, weakly.

"Yeah, I thought it would work for me, but now I know it won't," she explained, cupping his cheeks and bringing him close. "I want to grow old with you, my love. I want to have grey hair, wrinkles and backpain."

"You want to be human," he marvelled.

Belle nodded. She could have accepted immortality – and even being happy with it – if it wasn't for the fact that they couldn't just freeze time for the whole family, their children would want to live their lives and they couldn't keep them from having their own natural adventures.

"I do, but I don't want you to watch life fading from me and our babies, as I don't want to leave you to a lonely eternity. I want you to be with me until the end."

"But I'm cursed, Belle," Rumple cried. "Generations tried, but no one ever got rid of the dagger."

"We will," she guaranteed. "Together we can find a way."

It was clear in the very expression on his face that he didn't believe in this, but she needed to, because watching the kids grown and staying behind had been consuming her and she didn't know if she could take a life like this, if didn't find an answer. But hope, it kept her going.

"Belle..." the Dark One murmured.

His words were stopped by a kiss, eager and sweet at the same time, Belle leaning forward in her chair to reach for him, throwing her arms around his neck and getting as close to him as possible.

"Even before this baby is born, we will find an answer, alright?"

"Anything for you, sweetheart," Rumple promised, "anything."

"I need to make some research then," the lady smiled, pulling away from him and leaning back against her chair, taking her bread back and splaying a hand on her stomach.

Rumplestiltskin's glance fell to the little mound over her nightgown. Usually they would have already started preparing things from the child's arrival at this point, but with the time they had been apart, nothing had been done yet, not even a blanket or a single little piece of clothing.

"And I need to start planning for the nursery," he pointed out and by his little smirk, she could tell he was already planning to buy some customized furniture.

"Will you get me some new books first?" Belle asked, blinking her best puppy eyes at him. "We still have time for the nursery."

"Sure," the imp smiled, standing up and kissing the top of her head. "I'll go to the market with Gideon."

He left their chambers and she started to eat again. Belle's eyes were focused on the gardens, watching some squires run along the green grass, the first signs that the Spring would soon start to bloom some flowers and make everything beautiful again, vanishing with the vast destruction the last Winter left.

"Mama?" Rose's voice came from the door.

"Hey, come in, Rosebud," she smiled, stretching out a hand for her. "Do you want to eat? Your father brought breakfast for a hundred people."

A sweet laugh came from Rose as she took a seat beside her mother, eyeing the great amount of food that covered the desk. Definitely much more than they had in Roderick's house for all three meals of the day, but you couldn't quite compare the banquet the Dark One was able to provide with what commoners used to get.

"No, thanks, I've already eaten," the girl said. "Can we talk about something?"

"Sure, what is in your mind?"

Rose caught her lower lip between her teeth, looking down at her hands, appearing to be nervous and unsure of what she was about to say, what Belle thought to be odd, as it wasn't the kind of attitude she used to have.

"How old were you when... Well, when you and papa first shared a night together?"

Belle almost choked with her tea, her cheeks getting as red as apples, because it wasn't something she would ever expect her daughter to ask. They didn't quite discuss this kind of things and she didn't know what to say, so she thought she should start by knowing why Rose was suddenly interested in that.

"Where did this question come from?"

"Curiosity?"

Narrowing her eyes, Belle caught the way her daughter's face started to become pink too.

"I was nineteen, now tell me the truth."

"I gave myself to Roland," the girl mumbled in the lowest tone possible.

She let her teacup fall back to the saucer and pulled them aside, trying to process the information, but the only thing her brain screamed at her was that her daughter was still a child, a teenager who didn't know what she was doing or what she really wanted for her life.

"Rose!"

The girl shrunk.

"Please, don't kill me and please don't get stressed, the baby..."

"Is fine," Belle guaranteed. "Oh, Rose, have you at least taken any potions?"

Truth be told, she didn't even want to think the mess it would be if her girl got with child right now. She was way too young and irresponsible to be a mother as was Roland. Rumple and Regina would freak out and some fireballs would be thrown around as an attempt to solve the situation. Oh, it didn't sound right.

"Yeah, I did," Rose confirmed and Belle sighed in relief.

"Right that makes me breath again. Your father would kill Roland if it didn't end well," she assured. "And let me add, Gideon came from my very first encounter with Rumple, so you better be sure you protected yourself."

Rose buried her face in hands, making a sound of despair.

"I did! Oh gods, for a moment telling you really sounded like a good idea."

"Ah, my dear, I don't want you to think I'm judging you, because I'm not one for it, but you're sixteen, you're still a child for me," Belle explained, reaching for her hand, squeezing it between hers. "This world is cruel with woman who makes their own choices and I don't want you to suffer. My own father called me a whore until the day he died."

She couldn't lie, her choices had led her to a very happy life, but they also determined how she was going to be seen by the whole world. Very few people saw Belle by who she really was without judging her, without whispering about her being the beast's whore and as much as she tried to ignore it, sometimes those things still hurt a bit. Even more when it came from family, like her father.

"I know, but Roland and I will get married someday and we don't plan on telling anybody about this," Rose said and her eyes shined with the blind hope of the believers.

Her heart was pure and she could not be a virgin anymore, but she was still an innocent.

"Let me tell you something," Belle started. "You will become a great woman, my sweet daughter. You have what is needed to be a patient, fierce queen, you have a heart of gold and a brilliant mind. You're a seer, the heiress of Rumplestiltskin and a descendent of the royal bloodline of Avonlea. Don't you ever let anybody put you down or tell you what you do and always make sure you're in control of every situation."

Nodding, Rose smiled, some tears falling from her eyes as she reached to hug Belle.

"Right, thank you, mother."

"Now," the Dark Lady said, pulling away from her, "you must take care to not let your father see you wandering around there, but the last section of books at the back of the library contains some of my secret books. You may find them very useful when it comes of love-making."

The way Rose's eyes became wide, was completely amusing. Belle laughed at her surprised expression. She still felt like Rose was too young and shouldn't be taking this step just now, but if she could then she would instruct her and not let her girl be just another of those unsatisfied women she had known back in Avonlea.

"Are you really willing to help me with it?"

"I can't stop you, can I?" Belle shrugged. "Sometimes being a good mother means you need to conduct your children through their own paths instead of trying to force them on the one you chose."

"Thank you," Rose smiled, standing on her feet again. "Ah, can you please don't tell anything to papa?"

A little smirk crossed the lady's lips.

"I can't promise anything."

"Mama!"

"I would never let him kill Roland, that much I can promise."

* * *

If there was something to be missed in the Dark Castle, it certainly was the huge library. Rose had been there the whole morning, hearing the children playing in the gardens with their father, as Rumplestiltskin probably had already arrived from his short to the market. She had heard her mother talking to Mrs. Potts about having asked him to buy her some books, but she wasn't quite interested in that as she needed to make her own researches and was currently going through her mother's secret section of books when she heard the steps coming from the doorway and emerged from behind the shelves, seeing Gideon walk in and let himself fall in the rocking chair beside the windows.

"How was the walk to the market?" Rose questioned.

He lifted his weary gaze to her and rubbed at his own eyes with one hand, the other playing with the cover of a book left on the table near him. It was one of their mother's favourite corner to read, all of them had been rocked in that chair, while the one and only Dark Lady read aloud to them. They had always felt home in there, and well, in the whole library too.

"I didn't tell him," the brother confessed.

"Why?" She inquired. "Gideon, papa is not going to be mad at you. It's time for the truth."

Rose knew how much he always felt anxious to think about telling their parents about his relationship with Roderick, but Gideon had already done half of the service, as Belle already knew and approved it. She was sweet with him and only showed her son loved and acceptance, so Rose couldn't quite understand why he was so afraid of speaking to their father. Of course, Rumple and Belle were really different and he probably would overreact at first, but it would pass.

"Maybe it is not just the right time yet."

"You're so stubborn," the girl exclaimed. "He'll start to looking for brides again if you don't solve this soon."

"I know, Rose."

Gideon's voice was deep and tired as he rocked himself back and forward on the chair. He was all dressed in black today, as if his clothes reflected his humour, his brow narrowed in concern, because they may be back home, but their problems hadn't been erased and Rose unfortunately, knew it too.

"I had a vision, clearer this time," she confessed. "Ella locked in the same place, the man looking down at her and then a grave."

"Do you think she is going to die?" Gideon inquired, shivering at her words.

The girl shook her head, playing with the book in her hands and feeling more unsure of things than she ever did.

"I don't know, but someone surely will."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin would never keep important documents at the library, there was a hidden door on the laboratory that opened to a closet full of the most dangerous stuff he had, like the dagger and all the registers from the Dark Realm. It was locked with blood magic and only him, Belle and their descendants could open it, but not even the children knew about this place, so as the Dark Lady took all the most recent parchments from inside there and displayed them on her husband's desk, taking a look at the inscriptions.

"That's all?"

"The mines are closed, milady, there isn't much to register," Mrs. Potts explained seeing how disappointed Belle seemed with the fact there had been no changes at all.

Of course, they weren't selling anything, so there was no gain, but the fairy dust was still being extracted and nobody attempted to steal it, which she thought would happen as soon as they intercepted the deliveries. Something was definitely wrong; their ghostly dealer was smarter than they thought.

"I see," Belle nodded. "I think we'll need to go to the Dark Realm again, just to make sure we're seeing everything clear."

"Lady Belle, I don't think master will allow you to travel between realms in your condition, I think he will want you to stay here safely until the child is born."

Oh, he surely would, Rumple had already spent too much time away from her and he wouldn't be willing to let her go anywhere that put her into danger, even more now that they agreed they should stop beginning again.

"Mrs. Potts I appreciate your concern as I appreciate my husband's, but I'm not ill," the Lady remarked. "However, I don't think we should worry about this just now. I'm doing some more important research about the Dark One's power."

Mrs. Potts arched an eyebrow to her, a question shining in her eyes, but before she could manage to say something, Chip stormed inside the lab, even though he knew this area was totally forbidden for children, but judging by the bright pink tone of his cheeks and how incredibly tired he looked Belle thought there might be a good reason for him to break the rules.

"Mama, there is a carriage outside!"

"Who could be here?"

They weren't expecting any visitors, so a bit worried, she sent Chip back to the dining hall and took all the parchments back to their places, before locking the room and going downstairs with Mrs. Potts on her heels. She met her husband at the hallway, accepting the arm he stretched out to her and walking by his side to the front gardens.

"Visitors..." Rumplestiltskin complained.

But his annoyed tone didn't last much, as the carriage's doors were opened by the butler accompanying the people inside of it and Baelfire slipped of, helping his wife to come along. A big smile stretched on the imp's lips at the sight of his first-born. Bae didn't come to visit so often and he always enjoyed to see him. And Rumple needed to admit that noticing how his boy was starting grown grey hair, he felt as desperate as Belle did that morning, time was passing and soon Baelfire would be gone.

"Papa," the boy exclaimed, throwing his arms around him, hugging Rumple tightly.

"Oh, my boy, I've missed you!"

"Me too," Baelfire smiled, pulling away from him, "but I wasn't expecting to see you all here. Gideon sent me a letter saying you two were having some problems."

So, there was a reason why Baelfire was there, Belle thought. She knew Gideon was inclined to take all decisions to make things better, but she didn't imagine he would call for his brother. Now, she could see how terrible the whole situation really was.

"Yeah, but not anymore," she answered.

"Mama Belle," Bae smiled giving her a quick hug and then pulling away to take a look at her when he felt her bump pressing against him. "You two can't stop growing the family, huh?"

"This is the last one, I promise," Rumplestiltskin said.

Belle giggled a little, greeting Emma and peeking a look inside the carriage, expecting to see their great-granddaughter hidden inside, but it was actually empty.

"Where is little Lucy?"

"Spending some time with grandma Regina," Emma explained.

Belle made a tiny sound of disappointment because she loved settling things in the playroom for Lucy and Colette to spend some time there with their dolls, she would style her hairs and watch them in wonder. It was always nice to have both around, but she actually thought it should be a nice thing for her to spend some time with her other grandmother who was also going through bad moments.

"Oh, that's good, Regina is missing Henry like crazy and I bet having Lucy around makes her feel better," Belle said, before gesticulating to the castle. "Come in, we'll be more comfortable talking inside, your siblings will be happy to see you, Neal."

"I'll take the baggage first," Neal suggested.

"Don't be silly, Mrs. Potts and I will get it for you," Belle answered shaking her head at him, before turning around to look at her husband. "Take your son inside, I'll be there in a minute."

Rumplestiltskin touched her face, ignoring the other's for a brief moment.

"Are you sure?" The Dark One asked. "I don't want you doing any efforts."

"I'll carry Emma's shawl," Belle smiled.

He kissed her on the lips, causing both Bae and Emma to look away from them, but not Rumple nor Belle could pull away from long instants as if it was going to be their very last kiss and they weren't going to see each other in a few seconds, then the imp departed from her gesticulating for the visitors to follow him inside.

Going straight to the carriage, Belle saw that the butler already had two bags in his hands and was just waiting for instructions.

"Could you place these suitcases in the left tower, the second room on the first floor?"

"Of course, milady," he said.

She nodded and brought Mrs. Potts along to check on the things that had been left inside, where the travellers had been resting.

"Alright, we have some leather bags and..."

The lady's words were interrupted by a hand on her shoulder and she turned around to see the chestnut-haired woman standing behind her, a black cloak hiding most of her also dark dress.

"Hello, Belle."

"Oh, you're the Lady from the market," she whispered in awe, furrowing. "How did you find me?"

Eyes falling to Belle's slightly swollen middle-section, the woman shook her head in disapproval, as if the fact, she fact a live growing inside her, was something horrendous and it made the air got caught on the Dark Lady's throat, because she recognised the other woman as a threat.

"I see you haven't taken my advice about freeing yourself from this little problem, right?" The lady scorned. "Well, that doesn't matter much now, with or without child, you'll serve for any purposes."

She gripped at both Belle's arms and Mrs. Potts immediately came to her side, starting a fail attempt to push her away.

"What are you doing? Take your hands off her!"

"No, no," the woman smiled and made a flourish, making the maid be throw away, hitting her back against a three. "You're not interfering in my plans."

Belle felt her heart race, she tried to reach for the knife she had hide underneath her shirts, but she couldn't manage to free herself and she knew that against magic, she couldn't do anything.

"Rumple," Belle yelled. "Help!"

But it was too late.

* * *

Her scream reached him even inside the castle, her voice being loudened by the spells casted around the property and if she was still inside the gates, she would have been safe, however Baelfire's carriage was parked outside and there his magic couldn't protect her. The Dark One stopped in the middle of a conversation, startled to hear the despair in his wife's voice and in a slip second, he was teleporting himself to where she was. Or at least, where she should be, because the only one he found was Mrs. Potts, fallen to the ground.

He looked around desperately before reaching for the maid, helping her to stand up again and noticing how shaken she was, eyes budged and hands trembling helplessly. She looked about to faint.

"Where is my wife, Mrs. Potts?" Rumplestiltskin queried. "Where is Belle?"

"That woman took her," the maid told him. "She is powerful. Very powerful. Oh, master, I think she might be a huge threat."

The imp emitted a strangled sound. This couldn't be happening again, he couldn't have just found her again to lose Belle this way. But, apparently, another search was about to begin.

* * *

Belle woke up disoriented. She was lying on a cold floor, her face pressed to it and her bump smashed beneath her weight. A loud, painful sigh left her and Belle sat up, feeling her whole body ache, as if she had been kicked and punched many, many times before being throw inside there and by her kidnapper cold behaviour she wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly what happened.

"Hello, cellmate," a voice beside her, said.

The lady averted her glance to she woman in the cell next to her, who was leaning against the wall, the brown dress she wore – something Belle had never seen in her before as it seemed to be a piece of peasant's clothing – was crumpled and ragged.

"Ella? Where are we?"

"I have no idea, but I have been here for a long, long time."

Too long, Belle's thought's echoed as she rose on her feet, grabbing the bars between their cells to help herself to keep up and Ella arched an eyebrow at her baby bump when she saw the lady's dress falling to frame it.

"Henry is looking for you," Belle told her.

"Bless him, my only love," Ella smiled weakly, "but I think his quest is pointless, we can't be save."

Looking around, Belle shook her head at her. They were in some kind of dungeons without windows, the only passage for air was a small opening in a large woodened door further ahead, very far away from where they were.

"No, I can't accept that," the lady said. " A woman brought me here for some reason, but I'll escape."

"Who are you talking about?"

"An old lady in black, with chestnut hair."

"Oh, alright," Ella nodded, understanding, "she calls herself Lady Heart, but her name is Cora, however she is not the only one we need to worry about. There is a redhead, looking for something she thinks some sort of woman might have, some kind of energy she needs. Her name is Mother Gothel."

Belle furrowed at the information. Usually she knew every single person in those lands that had powers, because Rumplestiltskin liked to know who he needed to be careful with, as people was always trying to get his powers. But even if the first name she recognised – although she had thought Regina's mother was dead – the second one was a puzzle for her.

"So, we are here because of some _energy_ we might have or not?"

"At least this is what I guess from what I've been hearing lately," Ella shrugged, folding her arms. "Untighten your dress, you won't want Gothel to see that you're with child or gods know, she will get it from you."

Belle let her hands rest above her bump for a second and for a second, she considered ignoring the advice, but then reached for the laces on her back and started to untighten then, making the dress seem larger, hiding the curve of her belly.

"This child won't come for long and we will find a way of getting away from here, I promise you, Ella."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note:** This fic must be the definition of "I know you guys hate me for the slow updates". I'm so sorry it took me so long. I had a block, then things happened and it took me ages to finish this chapter, but I already have the rest of the fic sorted out, I know what I'm going to do which hopefully will make things easier for future updates to come faster. I did not abandon it in any way._

* * *

There was always a commotion whenever visitors came to the dark castle, but usually it was a good one. Gideon and Rose had just appeared in the great hall to greet their brother and sister-in-law when they heard the screams and in a slit second their father had disappeared. They exchanged a quick glance before rushing outside the castle with Neal and Emma on their heels, unsure of what exactly could be happening.

None of them were really expecting anything by now s they had just returned home after a very unfortunate episode, but apparently life couldn't give them a damn break. Gideon had spent hours considering different ways of telling his father about Roderick – because now that his mother knew, he couldn't hide the facts for long anymore – however the time once more, didn't seem to be the right one, but then it might never be.

Outside the castle, Rumplestitskin was kneeling on the floor, supporting Mrs. Potts' body in one of his arms as she tried to stand up again. Neal immediately offered his hand to help and together, father and son pulled her back on her feet, although she still didn't look very secure in her shaking legs. Mrs. Potts looked like she had seen a ghost, her face had gone pale and she desperately clutched at her apron, making it clear, how nervous she was.

"Papa, what is happening?" Neal asked the question everybody was obviously anticipating.

The imp looked up at him, the haunted expression in his face making Gideon's heart skip a bit and suddenly, even before the answer left his father's lips, he knew exactly what had happened, because there was only one person for who Rumplestiltskin would be this scared. The only person not present there, gathered with them by the castle's gates.

"Someone took Belle," the Dark One mumbled.

Rose's nails dig on the skin of his hand, he felt her shiver by his side. So, they were right this whole time, someone was really plotting to ruin their family.

"What?" Neal blinked. "Why?"

"Because somebody is apparently trying to test my patience but, oh, whoever did this will end this day dead."

The murderous look that overtook Rumplestiltskin's face, replacing his fear and concern, was definitely something to worry about. They all knew him well enough to be aware of the things he would do for his loved ones and for Belle – his wife, his heart – he would kill and die. Gideon was about to start a phrase, tell him to be rational like his mother would, but he was already grabbing Emma's arm, starting to drag her away, however the princess planted her feet on the ground, narrowing her eyebrows at him and refusing to leave.

"You're coming with me," the Dark One insisted.

"Where?"

"Wherever this freaking woman has taken my wife!"

"Wait, you can't go away like this," Neal interfered, standing between their father and his wife. "Let's take a seat a think about it."

It only served to irritate Rumple even more, but what he didn't understand was that they were all preoccupied too, however starting a blind search only guided by anger, wasn't going to help with anything. Gideon was pretty aware that his father's love for his mother prevented him from thinking clearly right now and he imagined that if it was Roderick who was missing, he would act like a crazy man too, but it wasn't so everything he could do was try to help.

"Are you mad, Baelfire?" Rumplestiltskin inquired.

"Please," Gideon said, "it is the rational thing to do, we need to take Mrs. Potts inside first."

He knew his father was about to protest, but he didn't quite have the time to, as Emma pulled away from him and passed an arm around Mrs. Potts shoulders, helping her inside as Neal and Rose followed them, leaving a very angry imp to snort and take his son's lead back to their castle. This kidnapping still sounded very unclear to Gideon and, as they brought the maid to the dining hall and he summoned a glass of water for her, Gideon tried to look back to the whole last year in an attempt to understand who, would have any reasons to take his mother.

"Here, drink this," he said, offering the water to Mrs. Potts.

"Thank you."

She sat down on his mother's reading chase and with the corner of his eyes, Gideon noticed Mr. Dove taking Chip and Colette upstairs, probably already knowing something bad was happening. His father came closer, impatiently glancing at the maid.

"Tell me more about the woman who took my wife," the imp demanded.

Mrs. Potts nodded, licking her own white lips before starting to speak.

"She was a bit taller than Lady Belle, she was older, was wearing black and had chestnut hair. She was powerful."

Rumplestiltsking sucked a breath, being the stillest he had been since this whole mess began. Even though he didn't know what could be passing through his father's mind, Gideon knew that it couldn't be good.

"It can't be," the imp whispered.

"Papa?" Rose called him, nervously playing with the golden rings in her fingers.

Ignoring her, he turned back to Emma.

"You. Contact Henry now, I want answers about Wonderland and he better have them!"

"Wonderland?" Gideon inquired. "Papa, what do you mean?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes unable to focusing in any of them.

"I think Regina's mother got Belle."

Then, with a flourish of his hand, Rumplestiltskin vanished from the dining hall, leaving them to wonder if he was right or not.

* * *

Belle didn't know how many time she spent locked in that cage with Ella before the guards appeared, but it certainly wasn't a nice time. Her back was hurt, she couldn't possibly find a comfortable position to seat and her bump seemed to have suddenly grown in weight, making everything more difficult. She was tired enough to have slept had she been able to take the cold and hard ground as a mattress, but unfortunately, she wasn't, so Belle just kept staring at the stone walls, hearing Ella's bitter murmurs about how they were going to die in there.

She couldn't allow herself to think like that. Belle had plans. Gods, just that morning she and Rumple were talking about books and cribs, how could it all seem so distant now? She was supposed to be at home, helping him to find a way to get rid of the dagger, talking to her children, helping settle a guest room for Neal and Emma… Not here.

When the guards came, she didn't know what exactly to expect, but she felt afraid when they broke into her prison and rudely took her out, however although Belle fought against them, she didn't scream for help, because she knew nobody would come in her rescue, she was alone, left to save herself. They dragged her through long, infinity hallways until they reached what seemed to be a small dining hall, with a large – not as large as the one in the dark castle – wooden table in which a whole afternoon tea set was served, the woman who took her there, sat by the head of the table with a delighted smile in her red lips.

"Sit," Cora commanded.

The guards untightened the grip in Belle's arms, pushing her against the table as if to give some emphasis to the lady's words and she sighed, stressed, pulling a chair for herself and sliding onto it.

"I wasn't expecting any special treatment given the fact you kidnapped me," Belle started with all the petulance she had, "but I guess tea is not that bad."

"You really think you should be using this tone with me? Do you have any idea of who am I?"

"Cora, Regina and Zelena's mother," she completed. "I've heard a lot about you."

"So, you know what I'm capable of."

Although she didn't do it, Belle really felt like rolling her eyes at her. A long time ago, even before Gideon was born, Rumplestiltskin had told her a lot of stories about his past in an attempt to strengthen their relationship and one of those stories included Cora. He believed her to be dead by know – or at least that much he hoped as he resented that woman very, very much – but here she was as alive as one can be.

"Sure, but I'm curious," Belle said, looking straight at Cora. "Is this about the thing you had with Rumplestiltskin years ago or you're really just helping your friend to get what she wants?"

"I never do anything out of the goodness in my heart," Cora laughed, sipping her tea. There was an empty cup in front of Belle and a teapot nearby, an invitation for a drink, but she would rather die thirsty than to give Cora the chance of poisoning her with it. "I have an interest too, of course, but it has nothing to do with my past with Rumplestiltskin."

"So why me? And why Ella?"

Pulling her teacup down Cora took a moment to analyse Belle's curious expression. She had too heard a lot about her, well, actually, Cora had done a lot of research when it come about the Dark Lady. The Queen of Hearts never thought somebody would be able to have the same effect she did in Rumplestiltskin, but she found out Belle had an even bigger one. What he had with her was a lot more than the physical attraction he had felt for Cora, their relationship wasn't based in stolen nights, but in a deep kind of love she would never understand.

Someday, back to a distant past, Cora had believed herself in love with the imp, but after months of observation, she concluded that even if what she felt for him could one day evolve to love, it would never be reciprocal. At least, not that way. It would never be True Love. But she didn't really care about it, she would have her happy ending once Gothel casted her curse – the same one Regina had once the chance of casting but was never able to.

"You two have a kind of fire we can't find often," Cora said. "Your daughter has it too, but it is just a tiny flame, it is not like yours. She is kind of a coward like her father."

Belle's eyebrows narrowed.

"How do you know Rose?"

"She came to me a few months ago," she shrugged. "I was hoping Maleficent would eat her and the boy alive, but I believe they never made it to her place."

A surprised gasp left Belle. Rose could trust her for some things, like talking about her relationship with Roland, but apparently, she still secrets of her own. Belle had no idea why her daughter would seek for someone like Cora, but she betted she had met her as a commoner in the village, not as her father's evil old girlfriend or her boyfriend's evil grandmother.

"How long have you been plotting this?"

"Oh, long, really long. Who do you think encouraged Agathe to get to Rumple?" Cora winked. "I must say I was hoping to kill you on my own, but as everything failed, I think Gothel's plan is the best option."

These words made a new lump appear on Belle's throat. She been separated from her husband for so many time because of that woman?

"You helped Agathe?"

"I tried, she is too dumb to not do things right."

"I must have known…" Belle trailed off. "But why would you do all of this?"

"Because we need power and getting the Dark One's dagger is the only way I'll get it right now."

She didn't know who "we" were, if Cora and Gothel or somebody else, but it didn't sound good in any possible way. Belle couldn't allow them to get anywhere near her husband's dagger, because it wasn't just the power who would belong to Cora and her evil friends if they got their hand's in it, but his freedom too.

"And you thought what? That Rumple would be willing to trade the dagger for me?"

"No, I expected to weaken him," Cora said, tracing the border of her teacup. "First you, then the children and once everyone he loved was gone, he would be begging to be killed."

"This is a really stupid plan," Belle scorned.

And it really was. Of course, she couldn't know the reasons why they were planning all this or what was their purpose, but even so, there were better ways of capturing the Dark One without harming is family. Unless you were trying to make him suffer.

"Oh, I bet you would have come up with something smarter," the Queen of Hearts rolled her eyes.

"Probably, yes," Belle shrugged, laying a protective hand on her stomach. " _You have no idea_ what I'm capable of when it comes to my family, Cora. And if I were you, I wouldn't try to find out."

Cora's dark eyes narrowed as they fell to her middle-section.

"Gothel will like to know about the babe. She was in need of a pure soul for her own plans."

Her jaw fell open and she stumbled up, walking as far from Cora as she could before the guards came to her side, gripping her arms painfully tight again, making her hiss and her eyes get full of tears, but she held her chin up anyway, defying that vile woman.

"Don't you dare thinking about taking my babe."

"I'll do whatever I want and whenever I wish," Cora stated, then turned to the guards, commanding. "Take her away."

"No, Cora," Belle yelled. "I swear to all of the gods that if you touch my baby I'll kill you! I will!"

Her screams echoed in the hallways until she was thrown back inside the cell.

* * *

Rose had lead them to Neal's old chambers, the same ones in which they stayed whenever they came to visit and Emma immediately reached for the chest they had brought with clothes taking the dresses from the top of it and picking the hand mirror from inside of it. She still wasn't sure if calling Henry back was the best option, but if she didn't do it, Emma was afraid she would end the day as a snail, because she had never seen Rumplestiltskin so angry before.

Only a bit of magic was needed for her son to appear in the mirror, wearing a big red shawl around his shoulders, apparently sat against a tree. He looked really tired, which broke her heart a bit.

"Henry!"

"Mom," he looked up with a small smile. "It is nice to see you, but I'm afraid I can't talk for long."

"No, listen," she begged. "Your grandfather might have a clue about Ella!"

It wasn't exactly a clue and she knew it very well, but it could be as Gideon had quickly explained for them, his clever brain working as fast as waterfall, while the rest of them were merely trying to process the whole situation.

"What?" Henry asked, surely not convinced of that.

"Henry you need to come back home," Neal interfered, taking the mirror from Emma's hand so he was in sight. "That might be the only way you have to find your wife."

"But he is not sure if this clue will take me to Ella, right?"

"Nothing is sure now, Henry," Emma answered. "But Lucy misses you."

It made him reconsider everything. His eyes became sad and all she could see was the little boy he once was and not the man in the other side of the mirror. He wanted to go back home but he feared if he did he would never see the love of his life again.

"I miss her too," Henry admitted. "Every single day."

"Then come back," Neal insisted.

There was a moment of hesitation, but then, maybe his weariness or his eagerness to meet his daughter again, made Henry nod and they could see that he was picking his things up from the ground with a determination that not even his most faithful letters contained.

"I'll be there in two days."

"We are at the dark castle waiting for you," Emma guaranteed.

With a last smile, Henry disappeared, being replaced by their reflex.


	21. Chapter 21

Sitting around for two days and not knowing what was happening to her mother was unacceptable for Rose, just as she knew it was for her father too, but he had decided to hear his brain instead of his heart for once and was giving the children attention they needed as all both Chip and Colette asked for was their mama. It was a whole knew confusing time they didn't need to go through. First, they spent weeks without their father and now without their mother.

The two poor little ones were learning from very young age the cost of being the Dark One's heirs just like Gideon and Rose did. She could still feel the scars of being hunted around the realms in her soul, reminding her constantly that they were never going to be safe. Her visions persisted and the memories of her enclosure in Avonlea were constant thoughts of hers, but right now, Rose had to forget it all. For her mother's sake.

In the second day after Belle's kidnapping about noon, a carriage stopped in front of the Dark Castle, making Rumple, Gideon, Rose, Neal and Emma reunite in the great hall to receive their guest's: Regina's family. It was the best her day could get, as her face lighted up when she saw her boyfriend and rushed towards him, not caring that everyone was watching them.

"Hey," Roland exclaimed, pulling her into a hug and kissing her cheek – he wanted truly to kiss her lips but wouldn't do it in front of her father. "I've heard about your mom, I'm so sorry Rose!"

"Papa will find her, I believe it," she answered, faithfully.

Regina took a few steps ahead, freeing herself from Emma's embrace to look around the hall. Everyone knew who she was desperately looking for as she clutched Lucy's little hand in hers, but he was anywhere to be found.

"Where is Henry?"

"He hasn't arrived yet," Rumplestiltskin answered, "but I think he shall be here for dinner."

The deception was clear in her face, but Regina wasn't one to keep showing her emotions like an open book, so she nodded and pulled on a blank expression.

"You need to explain me this mad theory about my mother being alive," Regina said. "She disappeared from Wonderland years ago, everybody thought her dead."

"Yeah, but the description Mr. Potts gave me could only lead to her."

"This is all based in your maid's description? Unbelievable," she blinked, shaking her head at him. "Rumple you have lots of enemies. Anyone could have Belle!"

Rose rolled her eyes. That was how every single meeting between those two started and, if they only yelled at each other for a few minutes it would be alright, but there was never enough time for Rumplestiltskin and Regina to discuss, so she got a hold of Roland's hand and gesticulated to the left corridor.

"I think this argument will last for a few more hours. Care to follow me?"

"Rosie, where are you going?" Little Lucy asked, freeing herself from her grandmother's grip and chasing after her.

"Nowhere," she quickly said. "Can you be a good girl and go find Colette in the playroom? She was eager to see you."

"Ok."

Lucy was gone in a slip second and Rose sighed in relief, starting to drag Roland down the hallway again. They took the stairs and she knew she shouldn't be taking him there – actually, this place was forbidden to her too – but Rose had been exploring the castle lately and she had found something she wanted to show him.

They ended-up in Rumplestiltskin's treasure room and she went immediately to a glassware, running her fingers through the wooden surface and using the blood magic to open the locker.

"So, my father is gathering a group to rescue my mom, but he thinks I should stay back alongside with you and the children, but I say we should go."

"You really think we can make father change his mind?" Roland asked. "That trip will be dangerous. I bet he will insist we stay behind."

"I don't think we should ask for permission," she said, turning around to see him. "Listen, my plan is, once they are gone, we follow their lead to Wonderland."

"Rose are you mad?"

A long deep sigh left her. She loved Roland but he never risked himself enough and he always wanted to do the right thing. _Heroism syndrome_ , her father would say, sometimes it was a good thing and sometimes it was not. It could make you a better person, but it could also make you give up a lot of things that you should not.

"Don't try to be cautions now, we are talking about my mother's life."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Come here," Rose called, opening the glassware and taking a large object out of it. "I've found this recently and I want you to have it."

"A bow?"

"An enchanted bow," she explained, handing it to him, who took an attentive look at the thing, running his fingers along its length. "It belonged to your father before he broke into our castle a long time ago and papa decided to torture him for it. Mama freed him and got papa mad for weeks."

"Your mom is a nice person," Roland chuckled, but his eyes were still fixed in the magic bow. "I can't believe in holding this bow, my father thought it was lost forever."

"Well, now it is yours."

He pulled it down to one of the empty pedestals her father had, a lot of them filled the room. It was full of shelves, cabinets and things like that, keeping his collective objects safe from people's eyes. Rose was basically stealing by giving that bow to Roland, but she didn't really care, she could deal with her father later, all that mattered now was that happy smile on Roland's face, nothing else.

"Thank you, my love."

The boy kissed her lips and Rose held onto him, remembering about the last few books she had read, some her mother had personally indicated to her and smirked at the same time she felt her whole body flush. She opened her mouth, deepening the kiss until both of them were panting for air.

"Roland..." Rose whispered. "I want you to touch me again."

"Here? With the whole family upstairs?" He gasped. "I think you definitely lost your mind."

"They are not paying attention on us," the girl insisted, nuzzling her nose against his throat and making him shiver. "Just kiss me. I know you want to."

Roland cupped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes again and she saw that touch of heat in his eyes, the same one she had seen back in the tavern when they made love for the very first time.

"You have no idea of half of the things I want to do to you," Roland said, his voice husky and nothing alike the one he was using moments ago.

"Show me then," she defied him.

He took her by the hand, sitting on a large chaise and taking her with him, letting Rose sit on his lap. They took care of not being heard and some good memories were made in that room.

* * *

A meeting between Rumplestiltskin and Regina was never a calm thing, there was always lots of yelling, both of them always wanted to best the other and everyone around just kept silently praying there wouldn't be any fireballs being throw around the room. With his mother absent from the castle, Gideon knew that his father tended to be only more aggressive than he usually was, which was not good, so after some long, eternal moments hearing their argument over the Dark One's rescue plan, the boy retired himself to his bedchambers.

Gideon was extremely preoccupied with his mother. He couldn't imagine why this Cora would want to held her captive, but he knew that Belle had already gone through a lot of bad stuff this year to face this too, even more now that she was with child again. The boy kept remembering about their last conversation after they came back home and how much she had encouraged him to open up to his father about Roderick.

He had spent hours thinking about the right way of doing it, which words he should use and which ones he should avoid. A million different scenarios passed through his mind, hundreds of different reactions crossing the Dark One's face when he finally told him the truth. Most of these reactions, made Gideon feel afraid. What if he would disown him, throw him out of their house and tell him to never come back? What if he never again spoke to him, like his grandfather King Maurice did to his mother?

There were too many "what ifs" to count and thinking about them made Gideon's vision get blurry with tears. He wanted to be accepted, but he wasn't sure if this was possible. His mother though, believed it was and he really wanted to be her brave hero and just tell Rumple everything and still there he was, pacing around his chambers, considering and considering without doing anything. Gideon needed some comfort, but Rose had disappeared with Roland and his mother was out of reach, so he suddenly stopped only one remaining person coming to his mind.

It was easy to wave a hand in the air to bring him like had done so many times before, but today it came out of warning and the boy who appeared in front of him was confused and a bit startled.

"What…"

"Oh, Roderick," Gideon said, throwing his arms around him and breathing in his scent, feeling much calmer now that he was there. "I'm sorry from taking you away like this, but I needed to see you."

Roderick patted his back and caressed his hair, remaining still in his arms for a moment, just allowing him to feel the warmth of someone else's support before he pulled away, cupping his cheek and allowing the tallest boy to kiss his palm tenderly whist they looked into each other's eyes.

"Gid, what happened?"

"It's my mother, she was kidnapped."

At this point, Roderick didn't know if he should be surprised or not. Gideon was visibly shaken and by the sweet relationship he shared with his mother Roderick could say it must not be easy.

"This family doesn't quite get a break, huh?" He murmured stroking his boyfriend's lower lip with the pad of his thumb. "Don't worry, your mother is a strong woman, she can take care of herself and I bet the Dark One will soon find her."

"Roderick... Is that what you want for yourself? Being bonded to a family that drawls problem like this?" Gideon asked, feeling a lump on his throat as he dropped the words that could end the most powerful thing he had ever felt. "Are you really signing up for this?"

"I want you and whatever comes in the package," Roderick said, simply, without even hesitating.

"Are you sure?"

Rolling his eyes, Roderick grabbed the back of his head, pulling Gideon down for a kiss that took his breath away. He pressed his lips hard against his, then opened his mouth to allow Gideon to slid his tongue inside of it, caressing every bit of his mouth that was able to make him groan. They were so very acquainted to each other by now that knew exactly what to do and how to do and knowing this only made Gideon's smile grow bigger as he parted from him, seeing that Roderick smiled as widely as him.

"Did you ever pay attention to anything I say?" The dark-haired boy chuckled.

A little giggle escaped Gideon's throat as he toyed with one of his boyfriend's curls, enjoying the softness of it on his fingers.

"We are going to another land and I'm not sure if all of us are coming back alive, so there is something I want to do first, but only if you trust me."

"I do," Roderick guaranteed.

He took a deep breath knowing that if he didn't do it now, he was probably going to delay this moment forever and given the fact that his father was immortal, then forever could be a really long time. With a quick flourish he made them appear by the door of the room where his father was and Gideon was a bit surprised to discover that the Dark One had left his guests all alone to hide himself in the laboratory, which could only mean that Regina had annoyed him enough for a day.

"Wait here," he told Roderick as he pushed the door open and peeked a look inside the lab, calling out: "Papa?"

The imp was standing in front of his large working table, the cauldron boiling with something as he ran a long, slender finger along piece of parchment. Closing the door behind himself, the boy took a few steps towards him, always careful inside the lab, like his parents had always taught him.

"Not now, Gideon," Rumple asked. "I'm preparing a potion that can be useful in this rescue."

"It is important," he insisted.

Maybe it was the shaken tone of his voice that made the Dark One look back and leave whatever he was doing aside take an attentive look at him.

"What is it, my boy?"

Well, now that he was really there and his father was actually facing him, it all seemed harder, even more than he had ever imagined. Gideon's glance fell to the floor, trying to avoid his father's eyes, as he began to speak, slow and full of hesitation.

"I know I've been disappointing you lately, because I refuse to get married to any of the girls you have in mind for me and I don't feel good to hide myself from you too. I tried really hard to find the right way of telling you this, but I guess I was just delaying this talk, because I was afraid you wouldn't love me anymore once I spoke up."

"Gideon, what are you saying?"

Attempting a glare up, the boy concluded that his father looked extremely confused with his rambling and hadn't got a think he said, that probably given the fact that he had just whispered nonsense and not being direct at all, but all the words had left Gideon. He wished he could just tell him the truth and not care if Rumple had a problem with it or not, but he cared way too much, he loved his family more than anything and he would be heartbroken if his father started to hate him because of his relationship with Roderick.

"Papa," he murmured. "I have been seen someone for a few years now and this person is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

A smile lighted up his father's face and Rumple took the few steps towards him, tapping his back with pride shining in his eyes.

"And why haven't you said that before? I'm sure she is lovely lady!"

Gideon shook his head, knowing that was when things got bad. The expectations were already there and he would hate to see the excitement in Rumple's face being replaced by something else.

"No, you got it wrong! We are not talking about a lady," Gideon said, his voice hitching up. "Papa, his name is Roderick, he is a very poor commoner, but he has a heart of gold and is the kindest boy in this world."

His father blinked, his smile faded and Gideon's heart attempted to stop inside his chest.

"Roderick?"

"Yes."

Rumplestiltskin turned his back to him, walking towards the working table and playing his hands on it as he took a few deep breaths. Gideon was aware of every movement his father did in that moment, the way his chest raised and fall, the slight floating of his hair, balancing with the soft wind that came from the open window in front of him. A whole eternity could have passed and he said absolutely nothing, standing there, refusing to look back at his son and making Gideon's heart break inside his chest.

"Papa?" He called in a broken voice, feeling some tears blurry his vision. "Are you angry with me?"

The Dark One finally looked up, turning around on his heels, a look of pure shock stamped in his face. He shook his head, taking a few steps into his direction and touching his now wet face, so he could brush the boy's tears away.

"I'm angry with myself," Rumplestiltskin answered. "Your mother and I share a love everybody disapproved and we fought for each other despite of what they thought about us, but it seems I've failed as a father as my son was afraid I would not love him anymore just because he wants to spend the rest of his life with a commoner boy called Roderick."

Gideon had to blink away the tears that continued to gather in his eyes, falling down to Rumple's hand. His breath was caught on his throat, because his father looked at him with such an unconditional love and a cruel touch of self-loathing that it made him feel stupid. The Dark One might be a cruel being, but Rumplestiltskin, the man that hid himself behind his bad reputation, was nothing like that and he would never do anything other than supporting his beloved children.

"I didn't want to disappoint you, I know I don't show it very often, but your approval is very important for me, papa."

"Oh, my boy," Rumple whispered. "I could never be disappointed by that. _Love is love_ and _nobody_ can possibly change it. I'm not like your grandfather, King Maurice, I would never push you away because of your life choices. In fact, I must say that I'm happy for you."

"You are?"

"Aye," the imp confirmed. "I might pull on a scary face for all people on this world, but I don't want you to feel like you can't come to me for talking, my child. You are blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh and I will never abandon you. _Never_."

All of the sudden, Rumple pulled him down to hug Gideon tight. Once upon a time, he would need to pick the boy up on his arms to embrace him, but now-a-days, Gid was way taller than him and needed to bent to do so

"Thank you, papa," he said, sincerely. "It means a lot."

The Dark One pulled away just enough to look at his eyes, still keeping a hold of his arms. During all his years of life, Gideon knew how much Rumple had always felt bad that he and Colette looked alike him, with the green-gold skin that announced their parentage to everyone, but in that moment as Rumplestiltskin look at him with such acceptance, Gideon thought that he was happy with every bit of himself, because he was also proud to say he was that man's son.

"I'm so sorry for all the times I tried to match you with some lady," Rumple said. "If you had told me, I would have stopped, but now that I know, I'll never make this mistake again, son."

"Would you like to meet him?"

"I believe I've already done it," the imp chuckled, letting his hands fall to his sides, "if the Roderick we are talking about is the same one in which's house you were staying."

"It is," Gideon confirmed. "But I want you to know him as my partner now."

Rumple nodded turning back to his cauldron and summoning some black feathers, which he threw inside the boiling mixture.

"Bring the boy then, before Henry arrives and we have to go,"

"Here is already here," the boy answered, opening the door with a movement of his wrist to reveal an expectant Roderick. Rumple turned around to see him standing there, not even attempting to step inside the laboratory. "Roderick, I'd like you to meet my father, Rumplestiltskin."

Pulling him in by his arm, Gideon led Roderick closer to his father. Of course, they already knew each other, but back when they were in Roderick's family shack, Rumple had barely casted a glare at him, more worried to bring everybody back to the Dark Castle than anything else. They haven't talked and, in that occasion, the imp obviously had no idea his son was in a relationship with that boy.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, milord..." Roderick mumbled quickly, his pale cheeks acquiring a reddish shade. "I mean, Mr. Dark One."

"Are you afraid, boy?" Rumplestiltskin asked, amused.

"A little," Roderick admitted.

"Gideon, what horrid things did you tell him about me?" His father asked, giving the boy a scandalized look, as if he was extremely offended. "Let's make it clear that I'll only kill you if you hurt my son and that torture is only involved if you ever do something to make him sad."

Roderick's eyes bulged. Gideon could see his shoulders shrinking as he glanced up at him, clearly asking for help.

"Papa," Gideon intervened, guarantying to his boyfriend: "He is lying, Rod."

"No, I'm not."

"I - I..." Roderick tried to start but failed miserably.

An impish laugh left the Dark One as he came closer to tap Roderick's back with a huge smile on his lips. Gideon was relieved that his father could take this with such a good mood, however he was also praying for his funny time to be over soon as Roderick seemed about to jump off his skin with fear.

"You need to learn how to recognise a quip, young lad," Rumplestiltskin said, cheerfully. "I like you. I think you remind me of someone. A smart girl who always got startled by my quips but never stopped fighting for her old monster."

"Gideon's mother is in fact remarkable," Roderick answer, for the first time since he came into the lab, smiling. "I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to her."

"I'll get her back, rest no doubt," the imp stated. "Now I want to know what exactly your intentions with my son are."

In a swift second, Roderick's face went pale. He hadn't prepared himself for that. Actually, after years of hesitation he was starting to think that he and Gideon would have to keep their relationship in secret forever, so he would never have to worry about talking with his father. But yet, there he was, feeling speechless and knowing that a wrong couple of words could make him end the day dead.

"Oh, I love him. More than I can say and I wish this thing we have to never fade away,"

"Do you see this castle?" Rumple asked, waving a hand around them. "Baelfire, my first-born son has already made his life very far from here, so Gideon is my heir and all that is mine, someday will be his. He needs a strong person by his side to be with him at his best and his worst. Are you this person?"

"I'm just a commoner, milord," the dark-haired boy, whispered, sincerely. "I'm the son of a fishman, I've never had gold or lands, I barely know how to read and count... I know a lot is expected from Gideon because he is your son, but all I can ever offer him is my love."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, his expression soft and serene.

"You're a good one, Roderick. I'll be very happy to welcome you into our family," he said. "My wife would say that what really matters is what you have inside and I think you have a kind soul."

Gideon glanced at Roderick, seeing his features brighten up with a brilliant smile, one of the kind that could take his breath away. Words couldn't express how happy Gideon felt and he wanted to pull both Rod and his father into the tightest hug ever.

"Thank you, milord."

There was another nod coming from the Dark One and them with a flourish of his hand, he made a golden sword appear and offered it to Roderick, who didn't take it, only stepped back, a bit startled.

"We are going into a journey now, to find my Belle and I'll need someone to protect the castle."

"I don't know how to use a sword."

"Don't worry, Mr. Dove does and the castle is also bounded with magic, but you can start training in the meantime," Rumple chuckled insisting to push the sword's handle into Roderick's hand, who took it with hesitation.

"Alright, I think I can do that."

"One more thing," the Dark One said, before snapping his fingers and making Roderick's raggedy clothes disappear and be replaced by a whole black outfit and brand-new leather boots. "Ah, now you're dressed like a king. Remember, this castle is your responsibility now."

Roderick gasped, looking down at himself in wonder. Rumplestiltskin left the lab without another word, making the cauldron immediately stop to boil as he made his way to the staircase. He had a thing for fashion and Gideon needed to admit that his father's taste for clothes was simply wonderful as Roderick in fact looked like a highborn right now. A king, he would agree.

"Is he serious?"

"Like he had never been before," Gideon smirked. "But I think you'll do a good job. Roland and Rose will stay here, so if you need partners for training with this thing, they will be perfect. Just take care with my sister, she may look all innocent, but she is swift and strong with a sword in her hands."

Reaching up for him, Roderick kissed his lips, throwing his arms around Gideon's neck and remaining in that position even after they parted lips, petting his boyfriend's hair gently.

"What are you smiling at?" Gideon asked.

"You were so afraid of telling your parents about us that in the end, all they were was comprehensive and tender."

"I'm silly sometimes."

"Oh, believe me," Roderick laughed. "I know."

* * *

They stayed inside the laboratory for some more time, as Gideon showed around the room, talking about the stuff his father stocked in there and the funny stories his family had from the times he or one of his siblings had broken into there without permission. He delayed himself on the details about how Rose grew a tail after once drinking one of their father's potions, just because it was purple – her favourite colour – and the trouble she created trying to hide the thing. Rumplestiltskin had obviously freed her from it, but it was still one of the funniest memories he had.

Roderick heard everything with a huge interest and, when Gideon heard the fuss by the gates and suggested they went downstairs to say hello to Henry. The boy, didn't know anyone from his extended family and, although he knew it was big, Roderick was still pretty impressed with the amount of people gathered in the dining hall when they arrived, just at the same time Rose and a boy – who he took as her betrothed – did too.

"Are we interrupting the reunion?" The boy asked, stopping behind another guy, who had a little girl, about five-years-old wrapped tightly in his arms.

Turning around, Henry smiled and pulled his half-brother into his embrace too, using only one of his arms, as the other was still occupied with his daughter. Gideon wanted to ask Rose where she and Roland had gone as they had disappeared for most of the day, but he guessed that if his father didn't kill any one them until now, then she must be very clever to hide the things she did.

"Roland," Henry greeted the boy. "It is so nice to see you!"

Regina was looking at the two of them with that motherly look on her eyes that very rarely appeared, she had Ronnie by her side and the two of them looked about to break into tears. Henry was gone for too long and if being away from his mother for a short time was difficult, he could guess that spending infinity months wondering how a member of your family was, was a bad experience.

Lucy finally lifted up her face, resting her forehead against her father's as if she couldn't quite stand any distance between them as she scanned the room with her smart brown eyes, the deepest mark of their family.

"Who are you?" She asked, pointing at Roderick.

"This Lucy, is Roderick" Rumplestiltskin started, before anyone could think ago saying anything. "Gideon's future husband."

Well, _Gideon's future husband_ , weren't the words any of them would have chosen as it made both Gideon and Roderick blush deeply, but it also put little smiles on his faces. The boy couldn't quite look up, as Rose was the only one in that room despite of their father to know about his relationship with Roderick.

"Can men have husbands?" Lucy inquired.

"Yeah, they can," Rumple answered quickly. "Now we need to discuss the information Henry brought, so what about we all come to the library and let the children play here."

"Sure," Henry agreed, pulling Lucy down to the floor. "Be nice to Mrs. Potts."

Regina's family immediately retired alongside with Emma as Ronnie made her way to the reading chaise and Mrs. Potts reached for the big chest in which the children's toys were.

"It was about time, huh?" Rose said as she passed by him, taking Colette and Lucy's hands in hers. "Come on girls, who wants to play dolls with me?"

"A fight at the gardens?" Roland proposed to Chip, who agreed with an enthusiastic nod.

The two of them walked towards the double doors, disappearing through the corridor and Gideon's smiled at the quick movements his little brother made with his wooden sword before they were gone for once. He didn't realise somebody was still standing near him until he felt one of Baelfire's hand in his shoulder and watched as he stretched out the other in Roderick's direction.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Neal, Gideon's brother, but I'm sure you already know this. Welcome to the family."

"Thanks," Rod replied, accepting the greeting.

Bae tapped his shoulder before going straight to the library and, as a part of the rescuing mission, Gideon knew he should be there too, so he turned back to Roderick, trying to find something that could distract him while he was gone. He eyed the open chest and picked one of the toys, offering it to him with a smirk.

"I'll catch up with papa's plan and you can start your training with Chip's wooden swords."

"Training?" Dove interrupted, picking a sword too and pointing it at Roderick. "I can help."

"Rod, this is Mr. Dove," Gideon presented him.

And the fact that Dove was way taller than both of them and certainly one of the most intimidating people who currently occupied that castle was probably what made Roderick's face go white as he murmured a "hello".

"I knew you weren't Rose's boyfriend," Mrs. Potts yelled from the other end of the room where she was knitting something for the Dark Lady's newest baby. "You kids are such liars!"

"I think you remember Mrs. Potts, of course," Gideon mumbled, blushing at the memory of being catch making out with his boyfriend in the kitchen.

"You're not getting a second piece of pie at dinner," the maid insisted.

"Understood…" Roderick whispered.

Mr. Dove approached him, poking the dark-haired boy with the tip of his sword, making Roderick jump in place.

"Won't you train?"

"Good luck," Gideon laughed.

"Yeah, I think I'll need it."


	22. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note:** Long time, no update. I'm so sorry!_

 _There was so much happening in my life these past few weeks - months actually - that I couldn't have the right break to write and when I did I had to focus on my RCIJ fic, but now I'm back for good and I will finish this fic._

 _Oh, we won Best Belle/Rumple Original Child with Rose at the R.H.E.A, so thank you so much everyone! I love you all!_

* * *

They didn't waste time after Henry's arrival, in the very next day the group parted to Wonderland. Henry had been there before, he told them, but the clues he had found always seemed to take him somewhere else. He hadn't seen Cora around or heard of her name, but he knew that something weird was happening, because the place looked abandoned and the few people he had met there were as mad as one could be.

Rumplestiltskin knew that his grandson was right about that place seeming to be dangerous by the moment he stepped a foot outside the portal that took them there. He felt the undeniable magic, which Henry probably hadn't noticed because he didn't have it in himself like the imp did. Sharing a glare with Gideon, he touched one bush wall, which's leaves were getting brown and falling. In the past this had been a colourful and beautiful land, but now, everything was dark and he could feel why.

"My mother is here," Regina said. "Her magic is a powerful poison, but I think that she is not alone."

"Definitely not," he answered, picking an old silver pin, notched to form a circle with some symbols around. "I know who this belongs to. Gothel."

"Gothel?" Emma inquired. "Who the hell is Gothel?"

Regina exchanged a glare with the Dark One, picking the pin from his hands and lifting it closer to her face, so she could analyse it better. The blonde princess walked towards her, peeking a look at it above Regina's shoulder.

"She used to be good in the past, but then she started to kill humans, which is why she was banished from this realm. I only heard of her as a legend, but somehow, my mother should have found a way of bringing her back from wherever she was."

From where he was, Robin tightened his grip on his bow, glancing at Neal. They all were tense now, the imminent threat haunting their thoughts.

"How can we find them?" Henry inquired. "I've walked around this whole land and I have found nothing but destruction wherever I went to."

"My mother is fool, her only way of protecting herself has always been blood magic. I can find her and I can take us inside her lair," Regina guaranteed. "We will find Belle and Ella today, then we will take them home."

She took Henry's hand in hers, squeezing a little as they shared a hopeful smile, but everyone else knew that although Regina wanted to give her son something to look forward to, they still had a rocky road ahead. Rumplestiltskin knew that better than anyone. He had been Cora's professor, he taught her everything she knew and was pretty aware of how dangerous that woman could be, as for Gothel, she was a legend and legends should surely be feared.

It got him even more worried about Belle. They were having quite a troubled year and now they were separated again, she and their unborn child, facing a great danger. The imp didn't like to think about that and he was glad to have other concerns, like keeping an eye on his sons and making sure none of them got hurt during their search, however Belle was still the main thing on his mind.

"Where should we go?" Gideon asked. "We should start looking somewhere, I don't want to have my mother stay in their hands for long."

Waving a hand, Regina made a necklace appear on the palm of her hand, alongside a tiny bottle. She opened its lid and poured the blue contents on the red gem, making it start to float.

"This is going to take us to my mother and hopefully, Gideon, to yours too," the dark-haired woman said, proudly.

Fighting his urge of rolling his eyes and tell her majesty, the former Evil Queen that it might not be as easier as she seemed to think. Yes, blood magic was something very characteristic of Cora, but with Gothel by her side, he doubted that she was going to be so careless when she knew that she had two daughters and a few grandchildren running around and that all of them would want to stop her from doing whatever she was planning.

He let the group start to follow the necklace first, staying behind and looking around, certain that their enemies should already know they were there and were just waiting to attack at any second. Gideon, of course, noticed there was something wrong with his father and stopped walking, looking back at him.

"Father, what is it?"

"Let's be careful, alright?" Rumplestiltskin started patting his son's shoulder. "Your mother's life is in danger and our enemies are not such idiots as Regina appears to think they are."

The boy nodded, eyes fixed in his. The air around them seemed to be heavy, very different from the last time Rumple had been there, years after Cora mysteriously disappeared. It was Gothel's power, he realised. Every single bit of life in that land was gone and now it felt like he was in the Underworld instead of a place that once before had been so beautiful.

"We will get mother back, papa. Don't worry," Gideon said.

"Aye," he nodded. "But just so you know, don't try to be the hero today. If anyone has to make a sacrifice, then this person is not going to be you. Belle would never forgive me if her beloved boy came back home with a missing ear."

Gideon gave him a sceptical glance.

"You know that I'm not a five-year-old anymore, right?"

"At five you helped me defeat your evil grandmother," the imp chuckled. "I'll need to get used to the idea that you'll need to take your own risks someday, just not now."

"Yeah, fine, we need to catch up with the others."

A tiny smile crossed the Dark One's lips and he held Gideon in place by taking his arm when he was about to follow the group ahead.

"Remember Roderick is waiting for you at home," Rumplestiltskin advised. "Thinking about your mother is what always stopped me from doing stupid things in the heat of the moment. She needed me to come home alive and so does your man."

It was a sincere and wise advice that he never imagined himself giving his son in that moment, however if Rumple didn't start to think about these things now, he wasn't sure if he would have a tomorrow to do so. He would save Belle, no matter the cost and if it was his life, as he started to imagine it would be, then he would go in peace.

A man had told his son, months ago that his days as the Dark One were counted, and back then Rumple had laughed at it, but now the reality of the situation was starting to hit him. Cora, Gothel and probably someone else waited for them and only the gods knew what the real hell they wanted.

* * *

Following her father had been a bit harder than Rose thought it would be. The first thing she and Roland had to do was to get out of the Dark Castle without anyone noticing and, when you considered that Mr. Potts was pretty angry at her and the girls kept asking for new hairstyles, seemed to be really an impossible task. She knew that Roderick and Mr. Dove were not a problem, but it took them a while to get over the others and finally escape to the woods.

By the time they finally reached the cabin outside Rumplestitskin's property where the portal had been open, they were long gone. There was some rambling about how they would ever get to Wonderland now and some desperation coming from her, until Roland mumbled something about how his mother kept three magic beans hidden in their castle back in Sherwood.

She it was wrong to steal from Regina and that they would most likely get in trouble for that, but Rose couldn't sit and wait like a child while her whole family was searching for her mother. So, what happened was that they travelled to Roland's home, stole the bean and opened a second portal to Wonderland, appearing in the opposite side of the land than the others were. Of course, they didn't know it.

Rose had heard incredible things about Wonderland during her life, but now that she was there, the girl needed to confess that she was really disappointed. The air was cold and the plants were dying, destroyed pieces of furniture spread around, a castle in ruins and the remains of what seemed to once have been a beautiful garden.

"What the hell happened here?"

"Something dark," Roland answered. "That's for certain."

He was carrying the bow she gave him, the one that belonged to his father, and held an arrow tightly just in case someone appeared. Rose loved that Roland was that careful, it made her feel safe.

It was night and the dead cold air made her tremble, so Roland suggested they found a place to sleep and start to search for their family in the next morning. She didn't want to agree at first but needed to admit that her clothes weren't suitable for the weather, so Rose decided to accept his decision and followed him. They needed to light up the way with fire as the sky got more and more darker and their only option was to hide inside an abandoned little house.

Someday in the past it must have been beautiful, but now it was only dirty and stinky, however, it would serve their purpose for a night.

They found the master chambers and climbed up the bed together, using Roland's cloak as a blanket. Rose hugged him, laying her head on his chest as she let herself fall into a deep sleep. She was still worried about her mother and what tomorrow might bring, which was why later that day she thought that it would have been a good idea to bring Gideon's anti-vision necklace.

In a minute she was just enjoying the great rest the darkness provided her, but then all of the sudden it begun. Rose was kneeling on the floor, her clothes damp with blood and a squealing infant screaming somewhere in the background. She held the wrist of the woman laying limp in front of her and shook her head for someone. Dead, of course.

"Rose," the loud scream interrupted the vision and she started to feel her own body again. "Rose, wake up. Darling, wake up, it is just a vision!"

Taking a long, deep breath, Rose opened her eyes to see her betrothed shaking her shoulders desperately, his eyes wide in panic and his cloak almost falling to the dusty floor.

"Roland," she breathed. "Oh, gods!"

Her hands were trembling and some perspiration made her face feel odd. She swallowed hard, allowing Roland to pull her into his embrace and stroke her hair until her heart stopped racing madly.

"Calm down," he whispered to her ear. "Tell me what was it about."

"A woman dying in childbirth, I couldn't see her face just skirts full of blood," Rose answered in a weak voice. "Do you think I saw my mother's death?"

"No," Roland immediately said, shaking his head at her. "It could be anyone."

Tears were starting to stream down her face now, the mere thought of losing one of the people she most loved in the word splitting her heart in two.

"I can't lose her, Roland. I can't lose my mother."

The boy touched her wet face, brushing her tears away and kissing the top of her head. They had grown up together and he knew every and each way of soothing her, just like her family members did. However, it couldn't stop Rose from panicking inside, she had predicted too many deaths in her life to not be worried just now.

"It's alright, it won't be her," Roland kept saying.

"But what if..."

"No what ifs," he commanded. "We are going to rescue her, take her home, she will be fine and soon you'll have a new sibling."

Rose was about to protest, but he silenced her with a kiss. It wouldn't make her forget what she had just seen but it would momentarily make her feel that the world was way sweeter than in reality, and for Rose, it was enough.

* * *

Cora held a long piece of parchment in her hands, feeling her fellow partners' eyes starting at her as she ran a finger along the short phrases of the spell. She knew they were analysing her every movement and that anything she said or did wrongly could end this strange partnership, which was why she was being so careful and secretive all the time.

Bringing Belle to them had certainly bought some trust, but Cora wasn't a fool, she knew that none of them would be stupid enough to fully believe one another. Leaning back against her chair, she nodded pleasantly at the parchment, pulling it back on the table as Facilier arched an eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Gothel inquired. "The last time someone tried to cast this curse, it was a failure and I don't need to say that this failure is on your darling daughter's shoulders."

She had to hold herself not to snarl an answer to Gothel and Cora only did so, because right now they needed each other and, without that woman's power she wasn't really sure if she could cast that curse.

"Regina is weak," Cora said, slowly. "She loves too much, that's why she failed, but I have never made this mistake. I have never loved someone, not even my daughters and that's why I will succeed."

Gothel narrowed her eyes at her, not even a bit convinced of that. Facilier, in the other hand, took some steps towards them and pulled a chair for himself, taking a seat beside Cora as he traced invisible patterns in the table. One of his voodoo dolls was laying in front of them, a perfect copy of the imp he had been silently chasing along the years, waiting for the right moment to take the Dark One's powers for himself.

"How can you guarantee us that you will have a heart to crush, Cora? If you don't love anyone then you can't really cast the curse."

"Oh, I can," she assured him. "Once I put my own heart back inside my chest I will feel affection again, I will look after Regina and play my part. I only hope you can play yours."

Sighing, he took the voodoo doll in hands and smiled wickedly. That smile, was the reason why Cora had agreed on bringing Facilier into this collaboration in first place. He wouldn't hesitate in doing what was needed and that was why he was so priceless to their plan.

"Nobody is going to stop you," he responded in his husky voice. "Rumplestiltskin and his family won't have time to. Now… Gothel, do you have your ingredients?"

"Of course," she answered. "Two women of fire's essence, to bring magic to a land where there is any. The life of an innocent child, to take us to the right place and time… This one is just a delivery away, but don't worry I have the right kind of tea to sped up things."

"Wonderful. So, now, my dears, we must prepare ourselves. We don't have much time."

With a wave of her head, Gothel agreed, pulling her chair back and leaving the room in which they had been reunited, heading straight to the dungeons where Belle and Ella were locked. Cora took a deep breath, thinking about the hardest thing she would have to do in a long time, put her heart back inside her chest. She was about to follow her own way too, when Facilier chuckled, looking up at the ceiling as if he thought it was really amusing.

"What is it?" Cora inquired.

"We have visitors," he said, a moment before disappearing into a dark cloud of smoke.

* * *

An empty teacup was placed carefully in front of Belle, the brown and yellow patterns of it, estrange to her unlike the white and blue china they used to have in their castle. She was sat on the floor against the wall, one hand caressing the small mound of her belly was the other played mindlessly with a hairpin. Belle didn't know how much time could have passed ever since she was imprisoned there, but she guessed it wasn't a lot.

Rumple should be looking for her as Henry had been looking for Ella all that time and it was what scared her the most. If Ella couldn't have been found, then so wouldn't she and Belle didn't want her child to be born in a cell like this, it was Rumplestiltskin's heir and it deserved the word and not the enclosure of a dungeon, being threatened by Cora and her friends.

Belle knew that she was probably going mad, but she poked Ella's arm, until she woke up, rubbing her fists against her eyes and yawning a bit, complaining about how she couldn't get a proper night of sleep ever since Belle arrived.

"Ella, I have a plan. I'm going to take us out of here."

"What? Belle… I don't think you can. I've tried before."

Shaking her head at her, the Dark Lady pulled herself up on her feet, accidentally kicking the teacup and breaking it as she made her way to the front bars of her cell, fighting against the locker as she plugged her hairpin into it, twisted a few times and made it swung open with a happy giggle.

"Come on," she said. "I'm going to free you, Ella."

"But, how are we going to escape? Please, think twice, Belle, if not for yourself then for your child, they will kill us as soon as we show up at the hallway."

"No, they won't. I won't let this happen."

Belle worked quickly to free her and took a look around, searching for a weapon, but the only thing she found were the torches that were hanging on the walls, illuminating the room. She took one of them. It would have to do it. If anyone got close to her, she would set the person on fire, she wouldn't die here or this way, not when she still had so much to do. After all, she had promised Rumple that she would find a way to get rid of the dagger.

"Are you coming?" Belle asked Ella.

The other woman, took a deep breath, then she reached for the second torch and nodded. They were going to escape.


End file.
